South Korean badminton star An Se-young secured a historic milestone on October 18 by winning the Denmark Open, claiming her 47th career singles title and surpassing the previous record held by Indonesian legend Susi Susanti. The world No. 1 achieved the feat with a hard-fought 21-23, 21-14, 21-18 comeback victory over Japan’s third-ranked Akane Yamaguchi in the final held at the SJF Bank Arena in Odense.
At just 24 years old, An’s achievement reinforces her position as one of the sport’s leading figures. Her recent dominance includes Olympic and world championship titles, along with a successful defense of her Asian Games women’s singles crown in September. Although regional titles do not contribute to Badminton World Federation (BWF) records, the Asian Games victory marked her ninth individual title this season. With additional tournaments ahead, including the upcoming French Open, An is on track to surpass the single-season record of 11 titles currently shared with Japan’s former men’s singles world No. 1 Kento Momota.
An acknowledged the challenge posed by her rivals, describing the competitive environment as a source of motivation. During the Denmark Open final, Yamaguchi appeared poised to secure her first win over An since September 2025, leading significantly in the deciding game before An staged a determined comeback. “Rivalry makes you better,” An commented, highlighting the competitive spirit that drives her success.
The event also marked a first for France as 21-year-old Alex Lanier became the first Frenchman to win the Denmark Open men’s singles title. Lanier defeated world No. 2 and Danish favorite Anders Antonsen 21-15, 13-21, 21-13. Reflecting on his performance, Lanier said he approached the tournament cautiously, focusing on smart play rather than relying heavily on physicality, which he intends to develop further.
In doubles competition, Malaysia ended an 18-year drought in the women’s doubles category at the Denmark Open, with the pairing of Pearly Tan and Mutiannah Muralitharan capturing the title. They defeated Japan’s 21st-ranked duo Hinata Suzuki and Nao Yamakita 21-18, 21-11. The last Malaysian women’s doubles champions at the event were Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty in 2008. Malaysian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei, now the chairman of the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s performance committee, congratulated Tan and Muralitharan on social media, praising their fighting spirit and ability to inspire upcoming players.
Meanwhile, Malaysian pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik finished as runners-up in the men’s doubles, falling 21-8, 21-11 to Indonesia’s third-ranked team of Fajar Alfian and Mohammad Rian Ardianto. The mixed doubles final was won by China’s second-ranked pair Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin, who overcame top-ranked compatriots Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping in a three-game match, 21-18, 8-21, 21-16.
The Denmark Open, now in its 75th edition, continued to showcase emerging talents and established stars, with several notable performances contributing to the evolving landscape of international badminton.