South Korea’s An Se-young wins her 11th title of 2025, matching a record, while France’s Christo Popov claims a historic men’s singles victory
SOUTH KOREA’S An Se-young claimed a record-equalling 11th title of the year with victory at the badminton World Tour Finals on Sunday.
The 2024 Olympic champion beat world number two Wang Zhiyi of China 21-13, 18-21, 21-10 to tie Japanese men’s singles player Kento Momota’s 2019 record.
An ended the gruelling 96-minute match limping between points with an apparent left-knee problem but managed to grind to victory over the defending champion.
“Winning my 11th title, I feel really happy and that it’s really something for me to be proud of,” the 23-year-old said.
According to the Badminton World Federation, An also became the first player to win more than $1 million in prize money in a year.
She banked the $240,000 winner’s cheque, adding to the $763,000 she had already earned this season.
Christo Popov became only the third European, and the first Frenchman, to win the season-ending event.
He overcame China’s world champion Shi Yuqi 21-19, 21-9 in the men’s singles final.
Shi appeared to struggle with a foot injury throughout and quickly succumbed after a tight first game.
Popov defeated Olympic silver-medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn and world number three Anders Antonsen on his way to glory.
“It was an amazing week,” Popov said.
South Korea enjoyed more success in the doubles as women’s pair Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee defeated Japan’s Mayu Matsumoto and Yuki Fukushima.
World champions Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae defeated China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in the men’s doubles.
The home crowd cheered earlier when Chinese mixed doubles pair Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping overcame compatriots Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin.
