"The era of the shuttlecock empress, now it's not dominance but a legend!" Women's badminton world No. 1 Ahn Se-young(24, Samsung Life Insurance) is making the All England Open, with 127 years of history, her own stage. Even Chen Yu-fei(China), once called her greatest rival, was swallowed in a comeback, as she wrote an astonishing record of 36 consecutive wins in official matches.
Ahn Se-young advanced to the final after a thrilling comeback victory, 2-1 (20-22, 21-9, 21-12), over world No. 3 Chen Yu-fei in the women's singles semifinals at the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour All England Open (Super 1000) held at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England, on the 8th (Korea time).
The match was effectively the final and was called the 'El Clasico' of badminton, drawing attention from around the world. It was the moment the balance between the two players, deadlocked at 14 wins and 14 losses overall, broke.
The start was uneasy. In game one, Ahn Se-young struggled against Chen Yu-fei's sharp attacks and found herself on the brink at 16-20. She fought back to 20-20 deuce with her trademark resilience, but her final shot drifted just outside the line and she dropped the game. In a situation that might have shaken her before, the current Ahn Se-young was a mental powerhouse.
From game two, Ahn Se-young's 'monster mode' was activated. In rallies that were close early on, Ahn Se-young's tireless footwork pushed Chen Yu-fei to every corner of the court. At 9-8, Ahn Se-young produced an incredible seven straight points, breaking Chen Yu-fei's will.
Game three was Ahn Se-young's solo show. Already drained of energy, Chen Yu-fei could not keep up with Ahn Se-young's ever-changing strokes. Ahn Se-young capped a 1 hour 13 minute battle with a 2-1 victory and began to move ahead in their head-to-head, 15 wins to 14 losses. It was the moment she shed the label of a nemesis and truly became a predator.
Only one opponent remains in front of Ahn Se-young: Wang Zhiyi(China·world No. 2). Wang Zhiyi advanced by defeating Japan's Yamaguchi Akane 2-0 in the semifinals. This final is a rematch of last year's All England Open final.
The situation is highly favorable for Ahn Se-young. She holds an overwhelming advantage in the head-to-head with Wang Zhiyi, 18 wins to 4 losses. In particular, she is a 'nemesis' who has won all 10 of their most recent 10 meetings. From Wang Zhiyi's perspective, she faces the towering wall that is Ahn Se-young once again.
If Ahn Se-young wins the final, she will become the first Korean player, among men and women, in the 127-year history of the All England Open since it began in 1899, to achieve back-to-back titles. She would also build the crowning achievement of her third career title and stand tall as a new empress of badminton beyond the legend Bang Soo-hyun.
Riding the momentum of 36 consecutive wins, can Ahn Se-young once again wave the Taegeukgi beneath the Birmingham sky? Badminton fans around the world are watching the shuttlecock empress's final match.
[Photo] Badminton Korea Association/BADMINTON PHOTO, All England Open social media.
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