Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance) displayed a fighting spirit despite injuries and reclaimed the All England Open title after two years.The world number one, Ahn Se-young, defeated second-ranked Wang Zhi (China) with a set score of 2-1 (13-21, 21-18, 21-18) in the women’s singles final of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 1000 All England Open held in Birmingham, England, on the 17th (Korean time) and stood on the top of the podium.She completed an official match-winning streak of 20 this year. Additionally, she achieved the remarkable feat of four consecutive tournament victories. Having already won the Malaysia Open, India Open, and Orléans Masters, Ahn Se-young secured the prestigious All England Open trophy, solidifying her status as a champion.After the match, Ahn Se-young shouted, “I’m a king, now.” A huge cheer erupted from the audience.She then noted, “This has been an incredible week. I’m really happy to win the final,” smiling brightly. Despite not being in 100% condition, she powerfully stated her focus on the match: “I believed in myself and didn’t think about anything else. I just concentrated on the game.”
The match lasted for 1 hour and 35 minutes, reminiscent of the fierce battle at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.At that time, Ahn Se-young secured a gold medal by defeating her ‘rival’ Chen Yufei in the women’s singles final. Midway through the match, she suffered a knee injury, which severely impacted her condition. Nevertheless, with her uniquely suffocating defense, she diminished Chen Yufei’s fighting spirit. This remarkable victory, which brought inspiration to the entire nation, was replicated in Birmingham in 2025.
The day before, Ahn Se-young had complained of thigh pain during her semifinal match against Yamaguchi and came to the court on this day with tape applied.
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