Shenzhen, September 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
World No. 1 An Se Young continued her dominant 2026 campaign by defeating Tomoka Miyazaki 21-17, 21-6 to win the China Masters for a third consecutive year and claim her seventh individual title of the season.
An became the first player to complete a hat-trick of China Masters titles and extended her unbeaten record against Miyazaki to 8-0. The Olympic and world champion also went through the tournament without dropping a game, with none of her opponents managing to score more than 28 points in a match.
“I’m so proud of myself. I’m really pleased with the result and I feel so happy,” An said after the final, according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The South Korean won 11 titles in 2025 to equal the record for most individual titles in a season and is now on course to surpass that mark. However, she acknowledged the growing challenge from a new generation of players.
“There are many players coming up and challenging. I don’t think any match can be taken lightly,” she said, emphasising the need for continued improvement.
Miyazaki, ranked ninth in the world, made an aggressive start and initially managed to unsettle An by moving her around the court. The top seed gradually regained control before dominating the second game.
“Tomoka put me under a lot of pressure, which left me a bit flustered,” An said. “But I tried to calmly maintain my pace and tried not to rush.”
The China Masters title adds to a stellar season for An, who also defeated Akane Yamaguchi 21-13, 21-15 in the semifinals in Shenzhen.
She regained the world No. 1 ranking after successfully defending her world title in New Delhi last month, defeating Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14 in the final. An won her maiden world title in Copenhagen in 2023 before becoming Olympic champion in Paris in 2024. She also won bronze at the 2025 World Championships in Paris.
An will now return home to prepare for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she will seek to defend her gold medal later this month.
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