Source:REUTERS/Paul Childs
[Saba Sports News] The world number one, ‘Queen of Badminton’ An Se-young, was completely overwhelmed on the finals stage she knows so well, defeated by an opponent she had previously beaten ten times in a row. In the 2026 All England Open Badminton Championships women’s singles final, China’s Wang Zhiyi swept An Se-young with a score of 2-0, not only claiming her first All England Championship but also putting an end to her opponent’s terrifying 36-match winning streak spanning multiple seasons. When the winning point landed, Wang Zhiyi threw down her racket, opened her arms, and yelled at the sky, releasing 15 months of built-up pressure. Meanwhile, An Se-young, on the other side of the net, wore a helpless bitter smile. After the match, the usually calm and resilient An Se-young lost all composure while thanking the audience, breaking down in tears as she bowed, a scene that moved many. Statistics show that this is already the third time in An Se-young’s career that a Chinese player has ended her long winning streak. Korean media described the impact of this defeat as ‘the GOAT of badminton suffers a heavy blow.’
The editor believes this victory is highly significant for Wang Zhiyi; it is her first All England Badminton Open Championships championship trophy, helping Chinese women’s singles return to the top of this century-old tournament after seven years. More importantly, she has finally broken the ‘mental barrier’ she faced against An Se-young.