Ahn Se-young, Writing a New Chapter in Badminton History
World badminton women's singles No. 1 Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life) has taken a step closer to an unprecedented record.
On the evening of the 25th (Friday), at the BWF World Tour China Open (Super 1000 Series) women's singles quarterfinals held at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Center in China, she defeated China's Chen Yu-fei (world ranking No. 5) with a score of 2-0 (21-18, 21-19), successfully advancing to the semifinals.
With this victory, Ahn Se-young is only two matches away from achieving what is known in badminton as the 'Grand Slam,' or 'Super 1000 Slam.'
Similar to tennis's Grand Slam, winning all Super 1000 Series tournaments in the same season is referred to as the 'Super 1000 Slam' in badminton.
Ahn Se-young has already claimed victory at the 2025 Malaysia Open, All England Open, and Indonesia Open. If she can also dominate the China Open, she will achieve the historic feat of winning all four Super 1000 Series tournaments in a single season, a first in badminton history.
A Historic Achievement: Winning All Four Super 1000 Series Tournaments in a Single Season
The match on this day was the 26th encounter with her long-time rival Chen Yu-fei.
In the past, Ahn struggled against Chen, losing her first seven encounters. However, since securing her first victory at the 2022 Malaysia Masters, she has steadily made up for the deficit in their head-to-head record.
With this win, Ahn has managed to equalize her record against Chen to 13 wins and 13 losses.
At the start of the match, Ahn had an uneasy beginning, trailing 2-4, but she turned the game around with her trademark forehand in-and-out diagonal attack, taking the lead at 5-4.
She then showcased a sliding defense move to maintain the lead at 6-5 and went into the interval ahead at 11-8.
Despite Chen's relentless pursuit, Ahn maintained her composure and defense to take the first game 21-18.
In the second game, Ahn started off well at 5-1, but Chen turned the tide to lead 8-7. However, Ahn maintained a fast-paced attack to regain the lead at 14-12 and 16-12.
As the match reached a nail-biting 19-19 scenario, Ahn executed a bold smash targeting the T-zone to earn a match point. Ultimately, after a contest lasting 54 minutes, she secured a 2-0 victory.
A Challenge Toward a Historic Record
Ahn Se-young's latest victory signifies more than just advancing to the semifinals. Since the inception of the BWF World Tour Super 1000 Series in 2018, no player has ever won all four tournaments in a single season.
Ahn is now the closest player to achieving this remarkable feat that even male players have not accomplished.
Having also won the Japan Open (Super 750 Series) last week, Ahn is currently exhibiting her best form.
In the semifinals, she will face off against China's Han Yue (world ranking No. 3). If she reaches the finals, a rematch with Wang Zhi Yi (world ranking No. 2), whom she faced in the Japan Open finals, is anticipated.
If Ahn can maintain her focus in the remaining two matches, she is expected to achieve the unprecedented record of consecutive victories in all four Super 1000 Series tournaments in a single season, marking a historic first in BWF World Tour history.
Image Sources: Ahn Se-young / gettyimageskorea, Ahn Se-young / News1
