Paris 2024 Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen from Denmark and An Se-young from the Republic of Korea secured decisive victories in the men’s and women’s singles categories, respectively, at the India Open 2025 badminton tournament in New Delhi on Sunday.
Viktor Axelsen, competing in his sixth India Open final over the past decade, defeated Hong Kong China’s Lee Cheuk Yiu with scores of 21-16, 21-8 to claim his third men’s singles title at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall. Meanwhile, An Se-young comfortably overcame Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-9 in the women’s singles final.
In the doubles categories, Japan’s unseeded duo, Arisa Igarashi and Ayaka Sakuramoto, completed a remarkable run with a 21-15, 21-13 victory over South Korea’s Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong in the women’s doubles final. This marked only their third tournament together, with Igarashi transitioning successfully from mixed doubles to women’s doubles.
In the mixed doubles final, China’s second-seeded pair, Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin, ended the Cinderella story of France’s unseeded duo Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue with a 21-18, 21-17 victory.
The men’s doubles final saw Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin overcoming South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae in a three-game thriller, winning 21-15, 13-21, 21-16.
While the singles finals were expected to bring intense competition, they turned out to be quite one-sided. An Se-young continued her dominance in women’s singles, whereas Viktor Axelsen reversed his recent struggles against Lee Cheuk Yiu, showcasing resilience after initial challenges.
Reflecting on his victory, Axelsen remarked, “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 and won the title.”
In the women’s singles final, An Se-young, the defending champion, maintained her winning streak against Pornpawee Chochuwong with an impeccable performance. Entering the match with a 9-0 head-to-head record, she swiftly controlled the game, securing her second India Open title following her Malaysia Open win the previous week. Highlighting her form, the 22-year-old has not dropped a single game in her 10 matches in 2025.
2025 India Open Winners List
- Men’s singles: Viktor Axelsen (DEN) defeated Lee Cheuk Yiu (HKG) 21-16, 21-8
- Women’s singles: An Se-young (KOR) defeated Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA) 21-12, 21-9
- Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin (MAS) defeated Kim Won-ho/Seo Seung-jae (KOR) 21-15, 13-21, 21-16
- Women’s doubles: Arisa Igarashi/Ayaka Sakuramoto (JPN) defeated Kim Hye-jeong/Kong Hee-yong (KOR) 21-15, 21-13
- Mixed doubles: Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin (CHN) defeated Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue (FRA) 21-18, 21-17
Photo: BWF
