Badminton sensation An Se-young, fresh off her French Open three-peat, is still weighing her options for the Korea Open. The world No. 1 is considering a well-deserved break after her recent grueling tournament schedule before making any decisions about upcoming events.
An, the top-ranked women’s singles player, staged a thrilling comeback in Paris on October 25, defeating India’s Pusarla V. Sindhu (world No. 11) 2-1 (16-21, 21-11, 21-12) in the 2026 BWF World Tour French Open (Super 750) final.
This victory marks An’s third straight French Open title, following wins in 2024 and 2025. It’s her fourth overall championship at the event, including her maiden victory in 2019. The win also extended her perfect 11-0 record against Sindhu.
An’s French Open triumph brings her 2023 title count to an impressive 10, including Asian Games gold. Her sole defeat this year came against China’s Wang Zhi Yi in the All England Open (Super 1000) final back in March.
Currently riding an astounding 50-match win streak, An boasts a near-perfect 66-1 record this year, good for a 98.5% win rate. She’s maintained her momentum with back-to-back titles at the Denmark Open and French Open.
However, the non-stop competition schedule is taking its toll on the young star.
In a post-match interview, An told the Korea Badminton Association that she’s going to prioritize rest and recovery for now. She’ll decide whether to play the Korea Open or extend the break after assessing how she feels.
This suggests An is prioritizing her long-term health over rushing into her next tournament appearance.
An was originally slated to compete for her 11th title of the season at the Korea Open in Yeosu from November 3-8. However, her participation is now in doubt due to fatigue from her recent packed schedule.
In the French Open final, An overcame a shaky start, dropping the first game before ramping up her defensive intensity to secure the comeback win.
Reflecting on her victory, An said that she didn’t try to change her game plan. She just focused on giving her all and maintaining consistency. That’s what made the difference today.
Discussing her opponent, An noted that Sindhu is powerful and aggressive, so she concentrated on the defense while trying to find the rhythm.
Breaking down her comeback, she added that she was a bit off in the first game. In the second, she made a conscious effort to slow things down. By locking in on defense, she was able to find the timing.
This latest victory marks An’s 48th international tournament title, extending her record for the most wins in women’s singles history.
As An continues her dominant 2026 campaign, she’ll now focus on rest and recovery before making a decision about the Korea Open.