South Korea's An Se-young defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in straight games to retain the Asian Games women's badminton singles title in Nagoya. The 24-year-old won 21-17, 21-9, becoming the first woman to collect two singles gold medals at the Games.
An entered the final as the world's top-ranked player and carried a winning streak dating to March. Yamaguchi, ranked third and already a three-time world champion, made the stronger opening before An recovered and took control of the first game. The South Korean then built a large lead in the second and closed the contest when Yamaguchi sent a service return long.
The victory was An's eighth title of 2026 and her second Asian Games singles gold after her triumph in Hangzhou three years earlier. It also extended her head-to-head run against Yamaguchi to nine consecutive wins. Members of An's family were among the Korean supporters watching the final.
An's season has combined consistency with success at the sport's biggest events. She has lost only once during the year, finished second at the All-England Open and withdrew injured from the Japan Open. In August, she won her second world championship in New Delhi. Her Nagoya result added another major title less than two months later.
After the match, An linked her run of victories to concentration and persistence rather than describing herself as unbeatable. She also said she drew motivation from the achievements of China's Lin Dan, who won two Asian Games men's singles titles, two Olympic gold medals and five world championships. An is now the first woman to match the two-title Asian Games singles milestone.
The final shifted decisively after its competitive opening. An responded to Yamaguchi's early pressure by retrieving effectively and forcing the Japanese player into increasingly difficult positions. Once ahead in the second game, she maintained the pace and did not allow Yamaguchi a route back into the contest.
The women's final was part of a broader medal programme in Nagoya. Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn beat Singapore's Loh Kean Yew 21-12, 21-16 to become the first Thai man to win the Asian Games singles title. South Korea also took the women's doubles gold through Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na. Indonesia's Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando won the men's doubles, while China's Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin secured mixed doubles gold.
For An, however, the central achievement was historical as well as immediate: a successful title defence and a second women's singles crown, completed with a one-sided second game against one of the sport's most accomplished active players.
