“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.

This year’s championships mark the culmination of an exciting domestic season that has witnessed the rise of young talents alongside the resurgence of seasoned players. The competition will begin with the Inter-Zonal team events, followed by individual competitions starting on December 20.

Defending men’s singles champion Chirag Sen and women’s singles titleholder Anmol Kharb will be looking to retain their titles in what promises to be a highly competitive field.

Sanjay Mishra, Secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), spoke about the significance of the tournament, saying, “The Senior National Championships is the pinnacle of the domestic circuit. Considering the enhanced level of competition, badminton fans in Bengaluru can look forward to high-quality matches over the next seven days. We are also excited about the emergence of new stars among the young challengers taking on their seasoned peers. This will be the final BAI tournament of the year, aligning our calendar with the BWF (Badminton World Federation) calendar.”

The level of competitiveness in the senior nationals is evident from the fact that no men’s singles player has successfully defended the title since Chetan Anand in 2006-07. In the women’s singles, Saina Nehwal remains the only player to win consecutive titles, achieving the feat in 2006-07 and 2017-18.

In the team events, defending champions Airport Authority of India (men’s) and Maharashtra (women’s) have not qualified for the Inter-Zonal championships this year, after being eliminated in the zonal stage.

In the individual events, Chirag Sen will face tough competition from world number 34 Priyanshu Rajawat, world number 37 Kiran George, last year’s finalist M Tharun, and rising star Pranay Shettigar. In the women’s category, Anmol Kharb will contend with experienced players like Malvika Bansod, Aakarshi Kashyap, former champion Anupama Upadhayaya, and promising talents such as Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, and Rakshitha Sree.

In the doubles events, mixed doubles champions Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, along with women’s doubles champions Shruti Mishra and Priya Devi Konjengbam, will aim to defend their titles.

This year’s championships mark the third time Bengaluru has hosted the senior nationals since the turn of the century. The event carries a total prize purse of Rs50 lakh, with Rs10 lakh allocated for the team championships.

A live draw for both the team and individual events will take place on the eve of the respective competitions, adding to the excitement surrounding this prestigious tournament.

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