An Se Young still learning plenty as she eyes third YONEX All England Open title

YONEX All England Open champion An Se Young remains the player to beat but is learning plenty from her opponents as she eyes a third title.

The 23-year-old triumphed over Wang Zhi Yi in a thrilling women’s singles final in 2025 to add to the title she won in 2023.

An went on a winning run of 27 matches in 2025, which included her triumph at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham in March, before losing to one of the players she admires the most in Chen Yu Fei.

“I feel every player is a tough and challenging opponent,” she said. “[Akane] Yamaguchi, Tai Tzu-Ying and Chen Yu Fei always seemed to offer many learnings for me.

“If there's one thing I've learnt from those players, it's to trust in your own abilities and play your game accordingly. I feel I've learnt a great deal about believing in oneself.”

Tai Tzu Ying was the last women's singles player to win three titles, and also the last player to defend her crown, doing so in 2018.

But for the world number one, a shot at matching Tai and Tine Baun is a tantalising prospect.

She added: “I'm not quite sure if it's called a hat-trick, but if I were to win again and have my name listed alongside Tine Baun, it would be an immense honour.

“Perhaps it's because it would be like setting a record all over again. It would feel incredibly honourable.

“The All England Open is a truly magnificent and prestigious tournament, in my view.

“That's why so many players aspire to win it. Standing on the podium in such a grand setting makes it deeply meaningful.

“I believe that's precisely why so many players strive for victory, and that's the special quality the All England Open offers.”

Further victories at the Indonesia Open and Japan Open set An up for a tilt at her second world title.

However, on the Parisian stage where An won Olympic gold last year, Chen once again got the better of the Korean, who had to settle for bronze.

It was perhaps a reminder of how young An still is that she admitted to struggling with the pressure of defending her crown.

“I felt a bit of pressure during this World Championship, which led to a rather disappointing performance,” she said.

“However, I believe I learned something valuable from that experience. For the next tournament, I'm preparing with the mindset that the solution is simply to trust myself more, practise harder, and enjoy the process.”

She responded by winning the China Masters in her very next event, her third Super 750 win of the season to add to her three Super 1000 victories.

An has a CV to rival the best players in history but remains a player who is as ruthless and successful as they come.

“I feel that I've achieved quite a lot in my career,” An said. “But I believe that if am complacent now, I won't progress any further.

“So, looking ahead, I'm determined to secure top places at the upcoming competitions such as the Asian Games and the Olympics with excellent results.”

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