Odense, Denmark: An Se Young and Alex Lanier both left their mark on badminton history at the 2026 Denmark Open, with the Korean world No. 1 setting a new women’s singles career-title record and the French world champion becoming the first men’s singles player from France to win the tournament.
An successfully defended her Denmark Open crown after a 79-minute battle with Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, recovering from a game down to win 21-23, 21-14, 21-18.
Later in the men’s singles final, Lanier defeated home favorite Anders Antonsen 21-15, 13-21, 21-13 to complete another historic week for French badminton.
An Se Young Wins Record 47th International Title
An’s victory over Yamaguchi was reported as the 47th international title of her career, moving her past Indonesian legend Susi Susanti, who had been credited with 46.
The achievement adds another major milestone to a remarkable season for the 24-year-old Korean, who also successfully defended the Denmark Open title she first won in 2025.
Yamaguchi edged a dramatic opening game 23-21, but An responded by taking the second 21-14 to force a decider.
The Japanese star then built an 11-5 advantage in the third game, putting An under considerable pressure. An answered with an 11-1 run to turn that deficit into a 16-12 lead before eventually closing out the match 21-18.
The victory improved An’s career record against Yamaguchi to 24 wins from 39 meetings and extended her current winning streak over the Japanese player to 10 matches. Her 2026 record also moved to 61 wins and just one defeat. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”1″}
Watch An Se Young vs Akane Yamaguchi Denmark Open Final Highlights
Source: BWF
Ninth Title of 2026 for An Se Young
The Denmark Open was An’s ninth title of the 2026 season as she continued an extraordinary run of success across the international badminton calendar.
Her major victories this year include the Malaysia Open, India Open, Indonesia Open, Singapore Open, Badminton Asia Championships, World Championships, China Masters, Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and now the Denmark Open.
Her only defeat of the season came against Wang Zhi Yi in the All England Open final. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”2″}
The latest Denmark Open title also continued her dominance in major finals against Yamaguchi, whom she has beaten in several of the season’s biggest championship matches.
Alex Lanier Becomes First French Men’s Singles Denmark Open Champion
Alex Lanier created his own piece of history later in the day, becoming the first French men’s singles player to win the Denmark Open since the tournament began in 1936.
The reigning world champion defeated Denmark’s Anders Antonsen in three games, winning 21-15, 13-21, 21-13 in a final that lasted 76 minutes. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”3″}
Lanier took the opening game 21-15 before Antonsen, playing in front of his home crowd, responded by winning the second 21-13.
The Frenchman regained control in the deciding game and pulled away to take it 21-13, adding the Denmark Open Super 750 crown to his growing list of major titles.
Watch Alex Lanier vs Anders Antonsen Denmark Open Final Highlights
Source: BWF
Lanier Converts Three Straight Denmark Open Semifinal Runs Into a Title
Lanier had reached the Denmark Open semifinals in both 2024 and 2025 before finally breaking through to the final this year.
Once there, the newly crowned world champion made the opportunity count, winning the title in his first tournament since capturing the men’s singles world championship in New Delhi in August.
The Denmark Open triumph adds another landmark to a season in which Lanier has already made history as the first French player to win a singles title at the BWF World Championships. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”4″}
Alex Lanier Embraces Life as the Player Everyone Wants to Beat
Lanier acknowledged before the final that becoming a world champion has changed the way opponents approach matches against him.
“When you win the World Championships, everyone wants to beat you,” Lanier said.
Rather than viewing that pressure negatively, the Frenchman said he has been learning to embrace being the player others are chasing. He believes the challenge forces him to keep finding solutions, develop new approaches and remain mentally strong.
His Denmark Open victory offered immediate evidence that he is adjusting well to that new status.
Two World Champions Make History in Odense
The 2026 Denmark Open singles finals ultimately belonged to two reigning world champions who arrived in Odense with very different historical targets.
An Se Young left with a second consecutive Denmark Open crown and a reported record 47th career international title, further strengthening her position among the most successful women’s singles players in badminton history.
Lanier, meanwhile, gave France its first Denmark Open men’s singles champion, extending the country’s rapid rise in international badminton only weeks after becoming its first singles world champion.
For both players, the Super 750 tournament became far more than another title. It became another chapter in careers already reshaping the badminton record books.
