KUALA LUMPUR — World No.1 An Se Young secured a place in the women’s singles final of the Malaysia Open 2026 after China’s Chen Yufei withdrew from their scheduled semi-final clash.
The much-anticipated showdown between two of the sport’s elite was cut short before it began, allowing the South Korean star to advance without taking to the court.
Fresh and Focused Heading Into the Final
The walkover gives An Se Young a significant advantage as she heads into the final with an extra day of rest, a crucial factor in a demanding Super 1000 tournament.
The reigning world champion will now face China’s Wang Zhi Yi, who earned her place in the final with a composed straight-games victory over India’s P. V. Sindhu.
Wang defeated Sindhu 21–16, 21–15, reaching the Malaysia Open final for the second consecutive year and avenging her loss to the Indian star at last season’s World Championships.
History Favors the World No.1
An Se Young enters the final as the clear favorite, carrying an imposing record against Wang. Across their career meetings, the Korean star holds a dominant head-to-head advantage and has repeatedly denied Wang on the biggest stages.
In the 2025 season alone, Wang finished runner-up eight times, seven of those losses coming in finals against An Se Young.
The South Korean’s consistency has been nothing short of historic. Last year, she captured 11 titles, matching the highest single-season tally ever recorded, while posting a remarkable 94.8% win rate — the best in women’s singles history.
Now, she stands on the brink of another milestone, aiming to become the first women’s singles player since Tai Tzu Ying (2017–2019) to claim three consecutive Malaysia Open titles.
Other Semi-Final Results
In women’s doubles, China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning cruised into the final with a 21–8, 21–17 win over Korea’s Jeong Na Eun and Lee Yeon Woo.
The other semi-final saw Korea’s Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee defeat Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto 21–16, 21–12.
Meanwhile, the mixed doubles final will feature an all-Chinese showdown, with Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping set to face compatriots Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.
With momentum, rest, and history firmly on her side, An Se Young now stands just one match away from launching her 2026 campaign with yet another major title.
