'Is An Se-young okay?' Overwhelming victory dispels worries, clinched final in 'just 39 minutes'

*This content was translated by AI.

There was no upset. World No. 1 in women's singles badminton, An Se-young (24, Samsung Life), stood atop the podium once again. Given the grueling 1 hour and 18 minutes of battle the day before, concerns about her physical condition were significant. An's answer was an overwhelming victory, concluded in 'just 39 minutes.'

World No. 1 An Se-young decisively defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi (No. 3) 2-0 (23-21, 21-12) in the final of the 2026 BWF World Tour Super 1000 Indonesia Open held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the 7th (Korea time). This marks her second consecutive title following last week's Singapore Open and her third overall victory at this tournament.

Concerns surrounding An Se-young ahead of the final proved to be unfounded. The day before, An engaged in a true battle with China's Chen Yufei (No. 4). Particularly in the third game, her stamina plummeted sharply, and she found herself trailing 7-17 at one point. Ultimately, An wrote a 'dramatic comeback' by overturning a 10-point deficit to reach the final. However, playing the final just one day after a 1 hour and 18 minute battle inevitably placed a heavy physical burden on her.

Moreover, her final opponent, Yamaguchi, had reached the final by defeating Shin Yu-jin (Incheon International Airport) in just 29 minutes with a 2-0 scoreline. Having already engaged in a grueling three-game battle with Yamaguchi in last week's Singapore Open final, An Se-young risked the match unraveling if she could not minimize physical strain.

However, An Se-young, who had struggled somewhat against Chen Yufei the day before, showed no such difficulty today. Facing Yamaguchi again in the final just a week later, she maintained intense rallies throughout the match without losing focus. Trailing 4-8 in the first game, she secured five consecutive points to take the lead, then seized control even while engaging in fierce rallies. Although she allowed a deuce at 20-18, she regained composure and won 23-21 to take the initiative.

With her momentum building, An Se-young displayed clearly superior skill in the second game. After scoring two consecutive points to widen the gap, she completely took control after the interval, securing the victory early. Demonstrating overwhelming dominance in both offense and defense to the point of leaving Yamaguchi stunned, An Se-young ultimately won the second game 21-12, putting a period at the end of the final.

The time An Se-young took to conclude the final was a mere 39 minutes. Among the five matches played from the round of 32 to the final in this tournament, this final was the shortest. While the quarterfinal battle the day before could have become a significant burden, An Se-young paid no heed to it, showcasing her presence as the 'world's strongest' on the high-pressure final stage.

Once the victory was secured, An Se-young savored the moment with her signature roar, stating, "My teammates and the trainers were a great help in my recovery. Thank you," and credited her teammates. After catching her breath for a moment, An Se-young will set out to hunt another title at next month's Japan Open.

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*This content was translated by AI.