[Saba Sports News] The women’s singles final of the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships saw a showdown between China’s Wang Zhiyi and world No. 1 An Se-young of South Korea. The two players battled intensely for 100 minutes, with Wang Zhiyi ultimately falling short 12–21, 21–17, 18–21 to take the silver medal.
Wang had previously defeated An Se-young in straight sets to claim her first title at this year’s All England Open Badminton Championships, making this final highly anticipated. The 100-minute contest was a true “women’s singles marathon” of willpower and physical stamina, with every rally captivating the crowd. After the match, Wang Zhiyi acknowledged it was a tough and brilliant encounter, admitting she could feel An’s superior physical condition.
Records show this marked An Se-young’s first career women’s singles title at the Badminton Asia Championships. With this victory, she has now collected gold medals at the Olympic Games, BWF World Championships, Asian Games, and Badminton Asia Championships, completing a career Grand Slam. An said achieving this goal felt extremely satisfying, and she would continue to prove herself with her results.
In my opinion, this “women’s singles marathon” was more than just a title decider — it epitomized the charm of badminton and the fighting spirit of its athletes. It demonstrated that at the highest level, subtle tactical choices, physical stamina management, and mental fluctuations can all directly shape the outcome of a match.