Is there any player capable of halting An Se-young’s dominance? This is the question currently echoing through the Chinese badminton community as the Korean star continues to tower over women’s singles.
Chinese portal QQ highlighted An Se-young’s extraordinary 2025 season, questioning just how far her dominance stretches and whether any Chinese shuttler can realistically challenge her. After sweeping 11 titles in a single year, An has firmly established herself as the undisputed force in women’s badminton — a reality even powerhouse China can no longer ignore.
The statistics are staggering. An Se-young won 73 of her 77 matches this season, posting a remarkable 94.8% win rate. That figure surpasses even the peak single-season records of legends Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei. Defeats have become so rare that any loss she suffers now automatically makes headlines.
Chinese players have felt the impact firsthand. Wang Zhiyi endured a brutal season against An, losing all eight of their encounters, including their clash at the World Tour Finals. The gulf in consistency and control was laid bare.
Yet Chinese media stopped short of full surrender, instead clinging to one familiar name — Chen Yufei. She was described as “the brightest light in the darkness,” having handed An two of her four defeats this season. Chen famously ended An’s 27-match winning streak at the Singapore Open and also beat her at the World Championships.
Their rivalry remains finely balanced, with both players tied at 15 wins apiece in their head-to-head record. This parity fuels hope in China, though it is acknowledged more as optimism than a long-term solution.
Chinese outlets have conceded that An Se-young has evolved beyond a rising star into an era-defining presence. The bigger question now is whether she can maintain this level for years, as Lin Dan once did, or whether injuries — particularly her past knee issues — could eventually slow her down.
For now, Chen Yufei is seen as China’s best answer. But relying on one name alone feels fragile. To truly confront the “An Se-young wall,” China may need broader change, fresh faces, and a new generation willing to measure themselves against the sport’s current benchmark.
