Korean badminton star An Se Young continues her incredible run of form, clinching her sixth title of the season at the Japan Open Super 750.
An Se Young’s Unstoppable Japan Open Triumph
An Se Young, the reigning World and Olympic Champion, proved once again why she’s the undisputed best in women’s badminton. She comfortably defeated her closest rival, Wang Zhi Yi, with a decisive 21-12, 21-10 victory in just 42 minutes at the Japan Open Super 750 in Tokyo.
This win marks her sixth title from six attempts on the BWF World Tour this season, showcasing a level of dominance rarely seen in the sport.
An Unstoppable Season: The Remarkable Numbers
An Se Young’s 2024 season has been nothing short of historic. She boasts an astounding record of 37 wins out of 38 matches played on the BWF World Tour so far.
Her year began with a phenomenal 27-match winning streak, securing titles at the Malaysia Open, India Open, Orleans Masters, and the prestigious All England Open. Her perfect run also extended to the Sudirman Cup, where she remained unbeaten for Korea.
Her incredible streak was eventually halted by Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei at the Singapore Open. However, this minor setback didn’t slow her down. An quickly bounced back to win the Indonesia Open Super 1000 and now the Japan Open.
Perhaps one of the most mind-boggling statistics is her game-dropping record. In her 38 matches this year, An Se Young has only dropped a total of six games. Remarkably, three of her six World Tour titles were won without dropping a single game.
An Se Young Reflects on Her Success
“I spent a lot of time thinking deeply about how to approach this match, and I also trained extensively,” An shared after her victory. She expressed satisfaction with her performance, feeling that her hard work had paid off and that she showed significant improvement.
She emphasized her commitment to growth, stating, “After the Indonesia Open, I worked hard to improve the areas I felt were lacking in my performance. I reflected on what kind of play would lead to better results and prepared accordingly.”
Key Takeaways from An Se Young’s Season
- Won six titles in six attempts on the BWF World Tour this year.
- Boasts an incredible 37 wins out of 38 matches on the World Tour.
- Began the year with a 27-match winning streak.
- Has only dropped a total of six games across 38 matches.
- Secured three of her titles without dropping a single game.
Other Champions Crowned in Tokyo
The Japan Open also saw other top talents shine. In men’s doubles, Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae continued their strong season, set to become the new world No. 1s next week. They defeated Malaysia’s current world No. 1 pair, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin, 21-16, 21-17.
China claimed the remaining three titles: Shi Yu Qi won the men’s singles, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning took the women’s doubles, and Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin were crowned mixed doubles champions.
