India Open 2026: An Se-young to face Wang Zhiyi in two finals in just one week

This upcoming clash at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex serves as a direct rematch of the Malaysia Open final held just last week. Both players secured their spots in the title match by showcasing immense strength and tactical superiority during their respective semifinal encounters on Saturday.

An Se-young delivered a masterclass performance against Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, wrapping up the victory in just 32 minutes. The South Korean star took control immediately, launching a relentless attack to secure six consecutive points early in the first game. She never looked back, taking the opening set 21-11. 

In the second game, after a brief 4-4 tie, An Se-young shifted into a higher gear. Her precision and speed allowed her to build a massive 16-5 lead, effectively breaking Intanon’s defense. With a final score of 21-7 in the second set, An Se-young proved why she is currently the most feared player on the circuit.

Following that dominant display, Wang Zhiyi earned her place in the final with an equally impressive performance. The Chinese star utilized her signature defensive resilience and sharp counter-attacking style to dismantle her opponent - Chen Yufei.  

Throughout her match, Wang maintained a steady rhythm, forcing errors with deep clears and sudden drops. By successfully neutralizing threats at the net and controlling the pace of the rallies, she ensured that the top two seeds would once again meet for the gold medal.

This final follows the pattern of their meeting 7 days ago at the Malaysia Open. In that encounter, An Se-young defeated Wang Zhiyi with ease to defend her title for the third consecutive year. The match was characterized by An’s ability to read Wang’s movements perfectly, allowing the Korean to dictate every rally and finish the game in straight sets.

Historical data heavily favors the world No. 1 as they head into this battle. An Se-young holds a significant head-to-head advantage with 17 wins and only 4 losses against Wang. More impressively, An has won all nine of their most recent matches, creating a formidable psychological edge.

An Se-young’s current form is a continuation of her historic 2025 season. Last year, the 23-year-old set a world record for the most single-season wins (11 titles) and achieved a staggering career win rate of 94.8%. She also became the first female singles player to exceed $1 million in prize money in a single season.

The final of the 2026 India Open, a prestigious BWF World Tour Super 750 event, will take place on Sunday at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi.