An Se-young Wins Badminton World Championship, Yamaguchi Sets Medal Record

World No. 1 An Se-young has claimed her second World Badminton Championships women's singles gold medal, overcoming a recent knee injury to defeat Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in straight games. The final score was 21-17, 21-14.

Yamaguchi, a three-time former champion, was aiming to defend her title and become the sole record holder for the most women's singles gold medals at the World Championships. While she fell short of that specific record, her silver medal performance secured her a sixth career World Championship medal, surpassing China's Zhang Ning and India's P.V. Sindhu to set a new record for the most medals in the women's singles category.

An Se-young, who also won the World Championship in 2023, had a strong season leading up to the tournament, securing five titles. However, she suffered a left-leg injury at the Japan Open last month, forcing her to withdraw. This championship marked her return to competition after the injury, and despite admitting she was not fully recovered, she displayed impressive form throughout the event.

The final match saw a familiar rivalry, with An Se-young holding a 19-15 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi prior to the contest. The first game was closely contested, with momentum shifting between the players before An Se-young secured it 21-17. In the second game, An Se-young's aggressive play and Yamaguchi's unforced errors allowed the South Korean to build a lead, ultimately winning 21-14 and sealing the championship.

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Although she was not 100% recovered, she still fought her way through to the finals.