An Se-young Defends Denmark Open Title After Three-Game Battle
World No. 1 An Se-young produced a determined comeback to retain the women’s singles crown at the Denmark Open, overcoming Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-23, 21-14, 21-18 in a gripping final in Odense on Sunday. The badminton showdown showcased the pair’s speed, stamina and tactical adaptability, with An recovering from a narrow opening-game defeat and a difficult start to the decider before securing the title.
The victory adds another significant result to An’s season and reinforces her position at the top of women’s singles. Yamaguchi, a former world No. 1 renowned for her relentless court coverage, pushed the Korean throughout the contest. But An’s ability to adjust under pressure proved decisive as the match moved into its final stages.
An Se-young turns the final around
The opening game set the tone for a closely fought encounter. Both players worked to control the rallies, using sharp changes of direction and precise placement to make their opponent cover the court. An had opportunities to take the game, but Yamaguchi held firm in the closing exchanges and edged it 23-21.
An responded with greater control in the second game. She reduced the unforced errors that had cost her in the opener and found more ways to move Yamaguchi away from the centre of the court. The Korean built momentum and levelled the final with a 21-14 win, forcing a decider in front of the Odense crowd.
The third game initially appeared to swing Yamaguchi’s way. Her quick drops and attacking drives caught An off guard, while several errors from the Korean allowed the Japanese player to establish an 11-5 lead at the interval. With the match on the line, An needed to change both her rhythm and her approach.
That shift came after the players changed ends. An began responding more effectively to Yamaguchi’s pace, steadied her shot selection and worked her way back into the contest. The turning point arrived when she moved ahead 13-12. From there, she maintained her composure, applied pressure in the rallies and closed out the match 21-18.
The result also extends An’s head-to-head advantage over Yamaguchi to 24-15. Their rivalry has produced several high-stakes encounters, including the women’s singles final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where An defeated Yamaguchi to win gold. Their Denmark Open meeting offered another reminder of how small the margins can be between two of badminton’s most accomplished players.
Jiang and Wei claim mixed doubles title
China secured the mixed doubles championship in an all-Chinese final between the top two seeds. Second-seeded Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin defeated top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping 21-18, 8-21, 21-16 in a 55-minute contest.
Jiang and Wei took the opening game through a steady performance, but their opponents responded emphatically in the second, winning 21-8 to force a decider. The final game was more closely contested. Jiang and Wei regained their balance, managed the decisive rallies more effectively and pulled away late to lift the trophy.
The result underlined the depth of China’s mixed doubles programme, where strong domestic competition often produces tightly matched international finals. For Jiang and Wei, beating the tournament’s top seeds adds an important title to their record and offers a confidence boost for future events on the badminton circuit.
Malaysia wins women’s and men’s doubles crowns
Malaysia celebrated a women’s doubles title as second seeds Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan defeated Japan’s Hinata Suzuki and Nao Yamakita 21-18, 21-11. The Malaysian pair stayed composed in a competitive opening game before taking firmer control in the second.
Tan and Thinaah’s calm approach was central to the result. Rather than allowing the Japanese pair to dictate the pace, they maintained pressure and capitalised on their opportunities. Their straight-games victory delivered a major prize for Malaysia and highlighted the value of consistency in the fast exchanges that define elite doubles badminton.
Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri later added the men’s doubles title to the day’s results. They beat Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 21-18, 21-16, taking the opening game by a narrow margin and then sustaining their pressure in the second to finish the match in straight games.
Lanier stuns home favourite Antonsen
The men’s singles final brought a surprise for the home crowd. Denmark’s fifth seed Anders Antonsen was beaten by seventh-seeded Frenchman Alex Lanier, the reigning world champion, who prevailed 21-15, 13-21, 21-13.
Lanier took the first game, but Antonsen responded with a strong second-game performance to level the match. The Frenchman regrouped in the decider, regained control of the rallies and pulled clear to secure the title. His victory capped a standout week in Odense and added another major result to an already impressive rise in international badminton.
Next challenge: An Se-young faces PV Sindhu
An’s Denmark Open triumph will be followed by another high-profile test at the French Open in Paris, scheduled for October 20 to 25. She is set to meet India’s PV Sindhu in the round of 32, a matchup that brings together two major figures in women’s singles.
For An, the opening-round contest will offer a chance to carry her title-winning momentum into the next tournament. Her comeback against Yamaguchi showed not only her attacking quality but also her ability to make tactical changes when under pressure. Those qualities will be crucial as the badminton season continues and the world’s leading players compete for further titles.
