Nagoya – An Se-young wants to follow in the footsteps of badminton legend Lin Dan after becoming the first woman to win two Asian Games singles titles on Tuesday, while Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn clinched the men’s crown. An, the Olympic and world champion from South Korea, has not lost a match since March and gave another ruthless display in dominating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-9 in the final in Nagoya. It was the 24-year-old’s eighth title of an incredible 2026 and gave her a second Asian Games gold after winning three years ago in Hangzhou.
China’s Lin, regarded as the greatest badminton player of all time, won two Asian Games men’s singles titles. He also won Olympic gold twice and was a five-time world champion. She won her second world crown in August in New Delhi.
Backed by pockets of vocal Korean fans, including members of her family, An made a slow start but battled back and took control of the first game. She sent Yamaguchi sprawling with one smash to the line, before clinching the first game with a backhand flick at the net. An kept up her assault in the second game, building a big lead to make her latest title look inevitable.
It arrived when Yamaguchi hit a serve return long, and An celebrated by dropping to her knees and letting out a scream. Former world champion Kunlavut was in rampant form in Nagoya against Loh, who is the first player from Singapore to reach an Asian Games final. The win returned Kunlavut to the world No. 1 ranking and gave him his first singles title since January’s Malaysia Open after a number of near misses this year.
The Thai player won the first game in 20 minutes and took control of the second, with Loh struggling to keep up. Loh fought back into contention but Kunlavut streaked away to clinch victory before bowing to the crowd. South Koreans Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na won the women’s doubles, while Indonesia’s Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando clinched the men’s doubles.
China’s Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin won mixed doubles gold.
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