(LEAD) Badminton star An Se-young wins Korea Open for record-tying 11th int'l title

Seoul-based South Korean badminton star An Se-young claimed a record-tying 11th international title of the year at the Yeosu Victor Korea Open, which concluded Sunday. The world No. 1 defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 2-1 (21-12, 15-21, 21-16) in the women's singles final at the Jinnam Stadium in Yeosu. The Korea Open is the sole South Korean event on the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) World Tour.

This marks An's 11th international victory of the year, tying a record previously set by men's singles player Kento Momota in 2019 and matched by An herself in 2025. An has secured eight BWF World Tour tournament wins this year, along with gold medals from the Badminton Asia Championships, BWF World Championships, and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

In 72 matches so far this season, An has lost just once, against Wang Zhiyi of China in the All England Open final in March. An's winning streak against Yamaguchi now extends to 11 matches. Despite considering skipping the Korea Open due to fatigue, An opted to compete in front of her home fans. After falling behind 9-9 in the first game, An turned the match around, scoring three straight points to win.

After Yamaguchi equalized in the second game with a 4-0 lead, An responded with seven consecutive points for a 21-15 victory. In the deciding third game, An built a 6-1 lead before extending her lead to 11-9, eventually clinching the title on Yamaguchi's mistake. An expressed emotional happiness upon hearing cheers from the 3,500-strong South Korean crowd at the sellout match.

She thanked the fans for their support, noting they helped her play with confidence despite her errors. On her record 11-title accomplishment, An expressed pride and reflected on her mental growth, mentioning her ability to turn things around when running on low energy. An plans to take time off before the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, starting December 9.