Badminton: As An Se Young continues her stunning 2025 with Japan Open title, here are some crazy stats
Here are some mind-boggling stats from An Se Young's season so far:
– She began the year on a 27-match winning streak, starting from the Malaysia Open, then India Open, followed by titles at Orleans Masters and All England Open, then a perfect run at the Sudirman Cup for Korea. Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei finally halted her run at the Singapore Open.
– After that run came to a halt, An has just continued on her merry way, winning Indonesia Open Super 1000 and now the Japan Open. While her dream of going unbeaten through the season is no longer alive, An could well complete the Super 1000 Grand Slam next week if she wins at China Open, the year's fourth BWF World Tour major title.
– In her 38 matches so far in 2025, An Se Young has only dropped a total of six games. Of her six World Tour titles in 2025, she has won three without dropping a game.
'I spent a lot of time thinking deeply about how to approach this match, and I also trained extensively,' An told BWF after her triumph. 'I'm satisfied with the result because I was able to show improvement compared to before, and I feel that all the hard work I've put in was not in vain. After the Indonesia Open, I worked hard to improve the areas I felt were lacking in my performance. I reflected on what kind of play would lead to better results and prepared accordingly. I'm honoured to have this title for the second time.'
Also continuing their superb 2025 were Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, the soon-to-be crowned world No 1 in men's doubles next week. They defeated the incumbent world No 1 from Malaysia Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin 21-16 21-17.
The other three titles went to China. In men's singles, Shi Yu Qi defeated rising French phenom Alex Lanier 21-17 21-15. Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning overcame Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan 21-15 21-14. In mixed doubles. Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin defeated Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran, 21-19 16-21 21-15.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
28 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Tour de France finale brings excitement to Montmartre with a climb to Sacré-Coeur
A cycling frenzy swept through Montmartre on Sunday as tens of thousands of fans greeted Tour de France riders during the final stage of the sport's biggest race. HT Image Hours before the peloton was due to arrive, spectators had already packed the Parisian neighborhood — once bohemian, now bustling with tourists — eager to secure a prime spot to watch riders climb the iconic hill during the final stage of the race. When the peloton finally neared the steep and cobbled Rue Lepic, the area erupted into a deafening roar. The Tour broke with tradition this year as organizers looked to build on the popular success of the Paris Olympic road race. During last year's Olympics, massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre — the area in northern Paris famous for its artistic heritage and sweeping city views — to cheer on riders. Inspired by the frenetic atmosphere, Tour organizers decided to include the Montmartre climb in this summer's route. And it paid off. Spectators began arriving early Sunday on the Rue Lepic, well before Tadej Pogačar — who won his fourth Tour title on Sunday — and his rivals were expected to tackle the steep ascent. Fans also filled the stairs beneath the Sacré-Coeur to ensure they didn't miss a moment of the action. The festive atmosphere echoed with clapping and songs from enthusiastic fans. 'La, la, la, la, la, la, la Kevin Vauquelin!' chanted some spectators in polka-dot T-shirts winding up Rue Lepic, cheering the French rider best placed in the general classification. Meanwhile, others took to the street on their alpine skis for a moment of fun, having put their winter sports equipment out. Riders ascended the hill three times and passed beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica before heading to the finish on the Champs-Élysées. Despite the rain making the roads slippery and dangerous, Pogačar attacked on all three ascents but he couldn't respond when stage winner Wout van Aert countered him. The peloton passed the Moulin Rouge before climbing to the Butte Montmartre. To mark the occasion, dancers in tricolor costumes performed a French Cancan outside the cabaret. Traditionally, the final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Elysées. But on Sunday, the final climb came about 7 kilometers from the finish and sprinters could not contend for the stage win. Only five riders were left with Pogačar on the third ascension of the 1.1-kilomete hill. During the Olympics, the road races drew more than 500,000 spectators in Paris. Last year's Tour concluded outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a scheduling conflict with the Olympics, with the final stage held in Nice. The Champs-Élysées returned this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. ___ AP cycling:
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
World Swimming Championships: McIntosh motors to 400m freestyle crown, Australia revel in relay golds
World record holder Summer McIntosh stormed to the women's 400 metres freestyle world title on Sunday, making a flying start to her bid for five individual crowns at the Singapore meet as American great Katie Ledecky finished with the bronze. The highly anticipated battle between McIntosh and Ledecky failed to materialise as the Canadian led from start to finish and claimed the win in three minutes and 56.26 seconds, nearly two seconds ahead of Chinese silver medallist Li Bingjie. Ledecky was 2.23 seconds behind McIntosh, who had only a small break before returning to qualify fastest for the 200 individual medley (IM) final in 2:07.39, less than two seconds off her world record. Triple Olympic champion McIntosh has a chance to join Michael Phelps as the only swimmer to win five individual titles at a single world championships. The 18-year-old Canadian may be hurtling towards greatness, but a pre-teen Chinese swimmer showed she could be nipping at her heels in a few years. At 12 years old, Yu Zidi qualified seventh for the 200 IM final in 2:10.22, shaving over four-tenths off her personal best in her world championships debut. ALSO READ | Yu Zidi of China reaches World Swimming Championships final aged 12 Hailing from the northern Chinese province of Hebei, Yu made the swimming world sit up and take notice at national championships in Shenzhen in May by winning the 400 IM and 200 butterfly titles. She also came second in the 200 IM in Shenzhen and is recording faster times than McIntosh did as a 12-year-old. Real joy In the men's 400 final, Olympic champion Lukas Maertens won an absolute humdinger of a race, nosing ahead of Sam Short on the final lap and holding off the Australian by 0.02 seconds to claim his first world title in a time of 3:42.35. Short won the event two years ago by the same margin from Tunisia's Ahmed Hafnaoui, with Maertens claiming bronze. 'I thought I'd have gone a bit faster, to be honest,' said Short, who swam 3:42.07 in the heats and dedicated the silver to his aunt, who recently died of cancer. 'I won two years ago by 0.02 (seconds), then I just lost by 0.02.' Australia finished the night celebrating a sweep of the men's and women's 4x100 freestyle golds. Australia finished the night celebrating a sweep of the men's and women's 4x100 freestyle golds. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Olivia Wunsch was the hero for the Australian women as she mowed down Torri Huske in the final lap to secure the gold in 3:30.66, 0.44 seconds ahead of the United States. 'I know there was a lot of pressure on us this year, but we all put in a great swim,' said Australia's Meg Harris, who swam the second leg in 51.87. 'King' Kyle Chalmers then roared home in a scintillating anchor leg of 46.53 seconds to give Australia the men's relay gold in 3:08.97, 0.61 seconds ahead of Italy, with the U.S. finishing third. ALSO READ | USA team at World Swimming Championships battles case of 'acute gastroenteritis' Earlier, American Gretchen Walsh, the silver medallist at the Paris Olympics, topped qualifying with Belgian Roos Vanotterdijk for the women's 100m butterfly final, both recording a time of 56.07. China's former world champion Zhang Yufei was also safely through. France's Maxime Grousset was fastest into the men's 50 butterfly (22.61) final ahead of Swiss Noe Ponti and Briton Benjamin Proud.
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
Is Shi Yuqi – with 9 titles from last 9 finals – the favourite for badminton World Championships after China Open?
Shi Yuqi remains the Chinese to be feared at the World Championships next month, and he gave enough indications partying off the challenge of former junior champion Wang Zheng Xing, winning the China Open crown 14-21, 21-14, 21-15. Shi Yuqi had silver at Nanjing World's in 2018, his only medal. In what was barely distinguishable from the Chinese National Games, 4 favourites won in four categories in All China finals, with the only interest being who would prevail in the last Super 1000 before the centrepiece World's at Paris. Though Viktor Axelsen will be itching to snap that crown at Paris, Shi Yuqi has won all three Super 1000s of this year, Malaysia, All England and now China Open until now. Moreover,the Chinese 29-year-old has won all 9 finals of Super 750 or 1000 he's contested, since January 2024. Slow to start, the World No 3 Yuqi took time to get going against the 23-year-old ranked No 22. But he had the final wrapped in 64 minutes to win his first China Open crown. 'My results at the China Open hadn't been great but I'm extremely happy to be able to win here,' Yuqi told BWF. 'Zhen Xing played well in first few rounds. His strokeplay and skills are good, and I was prepared for that today. Two sides played different and in first I was with the drift. In the second I told myself to be patient and fight every rally,' he said. China's chief contender in women's singles having superceded Chen Yufei, Wang Zhi Yi played out a dull domineering 21-8, 21-13 win against fourth seed Han Yu. Though Wang Zhi Yi alongside An Se Young are the leading contenders at the World's, Chen Yufei cannot be ruled out despite her early exits in recent tournaments. Having never won a single World title, she can be expected to preserve her energies for Paris. In doubles, the mixed section has always been a Chinese preserve, and Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping took their head to head to 11-2 against Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin, 23-21, 21-17. Most of the Jiang-Wei fight dissipated after they failed to convert the 21-20 set point ceding three straight points. In women's doubles, a near 70 minute wringer, the unstoppable Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning prevailed 24-22, 17-21, 21-14. Even assuming Japanese and Koreans are biding their time, Liu-Tan look extremely tough to beat at Paris. In the only interesting category at Changzhou, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shoibul Fikri, a rejigged pairing ranked just No 210 reminded the world that the Indonesians remained formidable even if they are in a shuffling flux. Trumping the best of the Malaysians in Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 21-15, 21-14, the 8 match-old pairing won the China Open on a near canter. Four Indonesians are a part of Top 10, and Alfian, No 5 with Muhammad Ardianto has only last week begun playing with Fikri. But literally any of the Top 12 in men's doubles could be contending for the World title at Paris in the crowd favourite category of men's doubles. Incidentally it was the only one that featured countries besides China at China Open and kept spectators enthralled.
