“I am so happy to win the game. The Indian crowd was amazing and they cheered and supported me. I enjoyed my match. I really focused on my speed and it is my strength,” An Se-young expressed after the win. Her victory added to her impressive record, marking her 25th Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title.

An’s performance in the final was near flawless, as she extended her head-to-head advantage over Chochuwong to 10-0. After racing to an 11-4 lead in the first game, she went on to close it out with ease, saving game points in the second game and controlling the match from start to finish.

This win comes on the heels of her triumph at the Malaysia Open just the week before, as she remains undefeated in 2025. An has not dropped a single game in her 10 matches this year, underscoring her growing dominance in women’s badminton.

In the men’s singles final, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen claimed his third India Open title, overcoming Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-16, 21-8. Despite a slow start in the opening game, Axelsen found his rhythm and dominated the second game, sealing the win in 39 minutes.

Axelsen, who has faced injury struggles since the Tokyo Olympics, shared his relief after the win, saying, “After this week, I feel my motivation is coming back. Since the Olympics, I had been struggling with injuries… This week has been very inconsistent for me mentally and game-wise but I am happy that I fought hard to win the title.”

In the doubles events, there were several thrilling encounters. Japan’s unseeded duo, Arisa Igarashi and Ayaka Sakuramoto, completed a stunning run to win the women’s doubles title with a 21-15, 21-13 win over South Korea’s Kim Hye Jang and Kong Hee Young. It was the third tournament together for the Japanese pair, with Igarashi making a successful transition from mixed doubles.

In mixed doubles, China’s second seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin triumphed over France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue with a 21-18, 21-17 win. Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles, Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin battled past South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, clinching the title with a 21-15, 13-21, 21-16 victory.

The India Open 2025 once again showcased the brilliance of the sport’s top talents, with An Se-young and Viktor Axelsen leading the charge in their respective singles categories.

The post An Se-young Dominates India Open 2025 Women’s Singles, Axelsen Triumphs in Men’s Final appeared first on FolksTimes.

Ranked 12th in the world, Lakshya triumphed over the world number 17 in a thrilling three-game match with scores of 10-21, 21-13, 21-13. Despite a shaky start in the opening game, where Lakshya conceded the set easily, the Indian shuttler made a stellar comeback in the subsequent games.

The second game saw Lakshya regroup and gain a three-point lead by the mid-game interval. Angus Ng Ka Long, known for his pace, kept himself in the contest but was ultimately undone by repeated forced errors. This marks Lakshya’s first win against Angus Ng Ka Long in their four head-to-head matches. Their last encounter at the Malaysia Masters in 2023 had ended in Angus’ favor, with a scoreline of 21-14, 21-19.

In Saturday’s semi-final, Lakshya will face Chinese teenager Hu Zhe An. The 18-year-old, who stunned Singapore’s former world champion Loh Kean Yew in the quarterfinals, is currently ranked 183rd in senior rankings. However, Hu Zhe An is the reigning junior world champion and holds the top spot in the junior world rankings, making him a formidable opponent despite his lower senior ranking.

The semi-finals will also feature top players, including Paris 2024 silver medallist and current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, Denmark’s world number two Anders Antonsen, French talent Alex Lanier, and China’s Wang Zi Jun.

Adding to the excitement, an exhibition match between badminton legends Lin Dan and Taufik Hidayat is scheduled for Saturday. The inaugural King Cup International Badminton Open, founded by two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan, focuses exclusively on men’s singles and features an elite eight-player lineup.

This unique tournament follows a single-elimination format and does not award ranking points, as it is not part of the BWF calendar. Nevertheless, its star-studded roster and competitive format have drawn significant attention from badminton enthusiasts worldwide.

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