“At this rate, we’re all really going to die—is a 98.4% win rate even human?” An Se-young, with one loss in 62 matches, is a “badminton god” straight out of a comic book

[The Financial News] “Is this really a human record?”
In 2026, South Korean badminton is truly “An Se-young’s world.” In fact, the global badminton community can only gaze at the feet of South Korea’s pride, 24-year-old An Se-young (Samsung Life). She has played a staggering 62 matches this year, winning 61 and losing just one. Her win rate is an astonishing 98.4%. On the shuttlecock court, where variables abound—not a soccer or baseball field—she is displaying an unreal level of dominance straight out of a comic book.
World No. 1 An Se-young, who announced the “return of the emperor” to the world by winning gold at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, has conquered Denmark and is now heading to Paris, France. From the 20th to the 25th, local time, she will compete in the BWF World Tour French Open (Super 750), held in Paris, and aim for the crowning achievement of winning the title three years in a row (2024–2026).
Her momentum has already soared sky-high. Even her first opponent is a welcome target for An. Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (India, No. 10), whom she will face in the round of 32, has met An 10 times and has never beaten her—a familiar victim of An, her nemesis.

The path An Se-young has taken is already the stuff of legend. Starting with two gold medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, she swept the 2023 World Championships, the 2024 Paris Olympics and, last April, the 2026 Asian Championships, completing the “Grand Slam.” At the recently concluded Denmark Open, she thrillingly defeated Japan’s ace Akane Yamaguchi 2-1 to claim the title for the second year in a row.
It is already her ninth title this year and her fourth consecutive tournament victory, including the Asian Games. Even more remarkably, her Denmark Open win was her 47th international title, surpassing Indonesian legend Susi Susanti (46 titles) and setting the all-time record for the most titles by a player, male or female.
Now An Se-young is competing against herself. She declared her ambition, saying, “I want to make more history and break records,” and adding, “The support of the fans who come to the venue is my only motivation.”

Meanwhile, women’s doubles pair Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na, who helped win Asian Games gold alongside An Se-young, could not travel to Paris this time because of injuries. But led by the “golden duo” of men’s doubles, Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, Kang Min-hyuk and Lee Jong-min, women’s singles player Sim Yu-jin, and mixed doubles pair Kim Jae-hyeon and Jang Ha-cheong will join An in a thrilling bid for medals.
The world’s attention is fixed on the golden smashes South Korea’s daughter An Se-young will unleash on the courts in Paris.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter