An Se Young of South Korea celebrates winning the women's singles final at the Denmark Open in Odense. (AP/PTI Photo)
South Korean badminton superstar An Se-young has rewritten the history books, becoming the most decorated women’s singles player in international badminton and ending Indonesian legend Susi Susanti’s nearly three-decade reign at the top.The Olympic champion achieved the landmark with a hard-fought 21-23, 21-14, 21-18 victory over Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the Denmark Open final in Odense on Sunday. The triumph took An’s tally to 47 international titles, surpassing Susanti’s record of 46, which stood since the Indonesian great retired in 1997.The Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed the milestone, noting that its records, maintained since 1989, exclude titles won at regional games.
The governing body hailed the 24-year-old South Korean as “an all-time great”.
An’s record-breaking run ends legendary reign
Susanti, one of badminton’s most celebrated figures, had held the record for the most international women’s singles titles for almost 29 years. An’s latest triumph has now taken her past the Indonesian icon, underlining her remarkable consistency at the highest level.“I want to make a lot of history and break records but I focus on one match at a time,” An said after her victory, reflecting on the achievement.
“That is my motivation. The crowds turn out for me and I’m happy people enjoy every match I play.”The world No. 1 has occupied the top ranking for 105 consecutive weeks, establishing herself as the dominant force in women’s singles badminton. She won a record 11 titles in a single season in 2025 and is building another extraordinary campaign this year.
Comeback victory despite ankle scare
An’s record-breaking achievement came after a demanding final against Yamaguchi, who took the opening game 23-21.
The South Korean responded strongly to win the second 21-14 and force a decider.The final game presented another challenge when An trailed 11-5 and appeared to injure her right ankle after slipping on the court. Despite the setback, she recovered her rhythm, capitalised on the slower side of the court and completed the comeback with a 21-18 win.“It’s a little bit bad,” An admitted after the match. “The court conditions were difficult and I slipped.
I will check my body and talk to my [coaches]. In the final game, I was on the slower side of the court, and I was more confident.”The victory secured her second consecutive Denmark Open crown and ninth individual title of the season.
A season of remarkable dominance
An’s latest achievement adds to a season in which she has won six BWF World Tour singles titles and claimed major honours at the Asian Championships, World Championships and Asian Games, alongside success in team competitions.Her only defeat of 2026 came in the All England Open final in March, where she lost to China’s Wang Zhiyi.An’s rivalry with Yamaguchi has also become one of the defining contests in women’s badminton. The South Korean has now won their last 10 meetings in succession.“I think she’s my best rival. I always want to win against her. She motivates me to train harder,” An said. “Wang Zhi Yi and Chen Yu Fei are rivals too and I’m happy to have them. Rivalry makes you better.”With the record now hers, An has moved beyond chasing individual titles to establishing a legacy that could define an era of women’s badminton.