Se Young wins Korea Open for 11th badminton title of year

Se Young, the world number one in badminton, celebrated her 11th title of the year at the Korea Open on Sunday. The 24-year-old triumphed over Japan's Akane Yamaguchi with a scoreline of 21-12, 15-21, 21-16 in the final held in Yeosu. This victory marked an unbeaten streak for Se Young that began in March, and she expressed her pride in her achievements.

Despite being the favorite, Se Young acknowledged the challenge posed by world number two Yamaguchi, who has the ability to keep matches closely contested. The home tournament held special significance for Se Young, contributing to her 11th consecutive win over Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi's most recent victory over Se Young occurred in the final of the previous year's Korea Open.

Se Young emphasized that each encounter with Yamaguchi is unique, and she did not dwell on their previous results. The world number one conceded that Yamaguchi's varied playing styles made their matches unpredictable, but she was determined to keep the intensity high throughout the game. Apart from the Korea Open, Se Young did not win any other titles this year, having finished as runner-up at the All-England Open and pulled out injured from the Japan Open.

She claimed her second world crown in August at the Asian Games and became the first woman to secure two Asian Games singles titles, with her first victory in Nagoya in September. Se Young reflected on the importance of this victory for Korean badminton, noting that the sport receives increased support in her home country, marking a dream moment for her.