Korea walked away with three of the five titles as injuries saw both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles titles handed to the eventual winners on silver platters.
The day also saw An-Se-young finally bagging the women’s singles title, avenging her All-England loss to China’s Wang Zhiyi, in a brutal 100-minute final.
The last time Korea walked away with three titles from the championships was a good 22-years-ago in 2004, a record they also set in 1991.
Unseeded Kim Jae-hyeon-Jang Ha-jeong did not even lift their racquets after Thai third seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran conceded a walkover well before the start of the mixed doubles final.
As for all-Chinese women’s doubles final, top seeded Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning conceded a walkover to their teammates Li Ying-Luo Xumin trailing 5-8.
The All-Korean men’s doubles final went the way of top seeded Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae, who carved out a 21-13, 21-17 win over Kang Min-hyak-Ki Dong-ju.
The men’s singles title turned out to be one-sided affair with second seed Shi Yuqi of China taking just 41–minutes to beat giant-killer Ayush Shetty of India 21-8, 21-10.
For Se-young, the victory helped her to complete the collection of major titles that includes the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Game and the BWF Super Series Finals.
The Korean world number one was a semi-finalist in 2022 and runners-up in 2023. She was eliminated in 2024 quarter-finals due to injury and missed last year’s tournament, again to an injury.
Both players started off cautiously and were tied 7-7 in the opening game before the Korean showed her intent to race to a 15-8 lead. Despite dropping four more points, Se-young wrapped up the game.
But Se-young was forced on the defensive in the second and soon saw herself trailing 2-8 against the resurgent Zhiyi.
Se-young picked a scrap on her knee after falling in an effort to retrieve a shuttle and received a brief medical treatment. While she came back marginally stronger it was Zhiyi, who dictated with long rallies. The Chinese ace led 12-7 and raced to game point at 20-14. Se-young saved three game points but the gap was too far as Zhiyi forced the decider.
A composed Se-young raced to a 9-3 lead but Zhiyi was not to be denied. She slowly whittled down the lead and managed to draw level at 15-15.
But Se-young showed why she is the best women’s singles player in the globe now to regain the lead and romp home a worthy winner.
Meanwhile at the European Championships in Huelva, Spain, second seeded Christo Popov defeated top seeded Anders Antonsen 21-12, 21-19 to win the men’s singles title.
However Christo and his brother Toma Junior were beaten 15-21, 16-21 by England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy in the men’s doubles final.
Scottish veteran Kirsty Gilmour won the women’s singles crown after she defeated Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark 21-17, 21-15 in the final
FINAL RESULTS
BADMINTON ASIA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men’s singles: Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt Ayush Shetty (Ind) 21-8, 21-10
Men’s doubles: Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae (Kor) bt Kang Min-hyak-Ki Dong-ju (Kor) 21-13, 21-17
Women’s singles: An Se-young (Kor) bt Wang Zhiyi (Chn) 21-12, 17-21, 21-18
Women’s doubles: Li Jiying-Luo Xumin (Chn) bt Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) 8-5 rtd
Mixed doubles: Kim Jae-hyeon-Jang Ha-jeong (Kor) bt Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran (Tha) walkover
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men’s singles: Christo Popov (Fra) bt Anders Antonsen (Den) 21-12, 21-19
Men’s doubles: Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) bt Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-15, 21-16
Women’s singles: Kirsty Gilmour (Sco) bt Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt (Den) 21-17, 21-15
