Akane Yamaguchi beats Wang Zhiyi to win Kumamoto Masters title

Japanese player Akane Yamaguchi secured the Kumamoto Masters title by defeating China's Wang Zhiyi with a score of 21-14, 22-20. World number one An Se-young opted not to participate in the tournament. Yamaguchi, who has claimed four titles in the women's badminton season led by An, defeated third-ranked Wang to mark her 11th title of the year.

Known for her 11 titles, including world and Asian Games crowns, Yamaguchi has managed to win only one match all year. The 29-year-old expressed her joy at winning in front of her supporters in Kumamoto, her training base, which is notably less common for tournaments in Japan. Yamaguchi has lost the last 11 matches to An Se-young, but remains determined to return to peak form, stating that getting into good condition is her top priority.

Meanwhile, India's Lakshya Sen won the men's singles title, marking his second consecutive victory following his success at the Hylo Open in Germany. Sen, ranked 13th in the world, expressed his desire to continue this winning form. In the mixed doubles final, top seeds Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin triumphed over Chinese duo Gao Jiaxuan and Wu Mengying.

Malaysia's Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King claimed the men's doubles title, while Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi won the women's doubles.