Wang Zhiyi Defeats An Se-young to Win All England Open Badminton Title

China’s Wang Zhiyi claimed her first All England Open Badminton Championships title on Sunday, March 8, 2026, defeating South Korea’s An Se-young in Birmingham, England. The victory marked the end of An Se-young’s 36-match winning streak and a 10-match losing streak for Wang Zhiyi against the world No. 1 player.

Match Details

Wang Zhiyi secured the win with a score of 21-15, 21-19 in a 59-minute match. She demonstrated patience in extended rallies and minimized errors, contributing to her success. Xinhua reports that Wang stated the key to her victory was her mindset during the match, noting her ability to sustain longer rallies compared to previous encounters.

An Se-young’s Streak Ends

The defeat brought an end to An Se-young’s impressive 36-match winning streak, which began after a loss to Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in September of last year. The Korea JoongAng Daily noted that An had been aiming for her third career singles title and a back-to-back win at the All England Open, a feat not achieved by a Korean player before.

Other Tournament Results

The All England Open 2026 saw victories for other players as well:

• Men’s Singles: Lin Chun-yi of Chinese Taipei defeated India’s Lakshya Sen 21-15, 22-20, securing his first BWF World Tour Super 1000 title.
• Women’s Doubles: China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning won against South Korea’s Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee 21-18, 21-12.
• Men’s Doubles: South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae defended their title, defeating Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 18-21, 21-12, 21-19.
• Mixed Doubles: Chinese Taipei’s Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan beat France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 21-19, 21-18.

Olympics.com reports that both the men’s and women’s doubles top seeds captured their respective titles.

Looking Ahead

Wang Zhiyi’s victory at the All England Open marks a significant achievement in her career and signals a potential shift in the competitive landscape of women’s singles badminton. An Se-young has pledged to learn from this defeat and prepare for future competitions.