An Se-young breaks all-time international title record to become queen of badminton

South Korean superstar An Se-young made a thrilling comeback against Akane Yamaguchi in the Denmark Open final to secure her 47th international title and become the most decorated women's singles player in badminton history.

An defeated her Japanese opponent 21-23, 21-14, 21-18 in the women's singles final in Odense, Denmark, on Oct. 18. This win brought the player's career tally to 47 international titles, surpassing the previous all-time record of 46 held by Indonesian legend Susi Susanti.

At 24 years old, An further solidified her top spot in the world by overcoming her Japanese rival, who is currently ranked third. She also successfully defended her Denmark Open crown, having first won the tournament last year.

According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF), this record accounts strictly for individual titles and excludes team events. Titles from regional tournaments are included based on BWF statistical criteria. The women's singles gold at the recent 2026 Asian Games helped her reach the milestone of 46 titles.

Susanti held the title record for decades before An. Former Spanish star Carolina Marin, who announced her retirement in March, follows with 39 titles.

"I want to write a lot of history and break records, but I always focus on one match at a time," An said, as quoted by Star News Korea. "The biggest motivation for me is that fans come to watch me and enjoy every match I play."

The final in Odense proved that An had to overcome many physical and mental challenges to secure her place in history. She started strong, building an 18-15 lead in the opening game, but could not maintain her advantage against Yamaguchi's aggressive attacking play. The Japanese player staged a late comeback, winning 23-21.

An faced further difficulties in the second game, trailing 11-13. However, she gradually regained control through her defensive prowess and decisive strikes. A brilliant run of seven consecutive points allowed her to turn the tide, winning the game 21-14 to force the deciding game.

In the third game, Yamaguchi continued to apply heavy pressure, taking a 12-9 lead. An appeared to be experiencing pain in her ankle as she touched the area repeatedly, which raised concerns about her ability to finish the match. Nevertheless, the world number one maintained her focus, adjusted her movement, and remained resilient in defense against her opponent's attacks.

An then scored seven straight points, turning the deficit into a 16-12 lead. While Yamaguchi fought hard to chase the score, she could not prevent An from closing out the final game 21-18. This three-game victory completed the comeback and etched her name into the badminton history books.

This result marks the fifth consecutive time An has defeated the Japanese player in a women's singles final, following encounters at the Singapore Open, the Indonesia Open, the World Championships, and the 2026 Asian Games. Statistical records indicate that An has now beaten Yamaguchi 10 times in a row.

On the BWF World Tour this season, An has already secured nine titles. Her record for the year currently stands at 61 wins and just one single loss, a winning percentage of 98.4%. Her solitary defeat came in the final of the All England Open in March, where she lost to China's Wang Zhiyi.

With a phenomenal 44-match winning streak, An is now in a prime position to set a new record for the number of women's singles titles won in a single season. Last year, she claimed 11 titles, a tally that matched the all-time single-season record set by former men's singles world number one Kento Momota in 2019.

Following her triumph at the Denmark Open, An is set to compete in the French Open, which begins on Oct. 20. This tournament offers her a chance to edge closer to that 11-title milestone and potentially surpass her performance from last year.

Born on Feb. 5, 2002, in Gwangju, South Korea, An boasts a resume that includes a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, world championship titles in 2023 and 2026, and Asian Games singles gold medals in 2022 and 2026.

She previously drew media attention after revealing that, upon first joining the South Korea national team, she had been forced by senior players to do their laundry and cleaning.