Daijiworld Media Network - Shenzhen
Shenzhen, Sep 6: World No. 1 An Se Young continued her outstanding 2026 campaign by defeating Tomoka Miyazaki 21-17, 21-6 to win the China Masters for a third consecutive year and claim her seventh individual title of the season.
An became the first player to complete a hat-trick of China Masters titles and extended her unbeaten record against Miyazaki to 8-0.
The Olympic and world champion went through the tournament without dropping a game, with none of her opponents managing more than 28 points in a match.
“I’m so proud of myself. I’m really pleased with the result and I feel so happy,” An said after winning another title, as quoted by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The South Korean, who won 11 titles last year to equal the record for most titles in a season, is now on course to surpass that mark.
However, An remained cautious about the growing challenge from the emerging generation.
“There are many players coming up and challenging. I don’t think any match can be taken lightly,” she said, stressing the need for continuous improvement.
Miyazaki, ranked ninth in the world, started the final aggressively, moving An around the court and disrupting her rhythm.
An gradually regained control before pulling away decisively in the second game.
“Tomoka put me under a lot of pressure, which left me a bit flustered,” An admitted. “But I tried to calmly maintain my pace and tried not to rush.”
The China Masters title adds to a remarkable season in which An has continued to establish herself as the leading force in women’s badminton.
She had defeated Akane Yamaguchi 21-13, 21-15 in the semifinals in Shenzhen.
An regained the world No. 1 ranking after successfully defending her world title in New Delhi last month, beating Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14 in the final.
She had earlier won her maiden world title in Copenhagen in 2023 before becoming Olympic champion in Paris in 2024. She also claimed bronze at the 2025 World Championships in Paris.
An will now return home to prepare for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she will look to defend her gold medal later this month.