안세영(삼성생명)의 대표적인 라이벌 중 한 명인 야마구치 아카네(4위·일본)가 전영오픈 16강에 가볍게 안착했다. 야마구치는 4일 영국 버밍엄의 유틸리타 아레나에서 열린 2026 세계배드민턴연맹(BWF) 월드 투어(슈퍼 1000) 전영오픈 여자 단식 32강에서 부사난 옹밤룽판(17위·태국)을 상대로 35분 만에 승리했다.
The All England Open, a prestigious tournament with a 126-year history, saw Yamaguchi secure her spot in the round of 16 with a dominant performance. The Japanese star, a frequent competitor against Korean standout An Se-young, dispatched Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan in just 35 minutes.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae advanced to the men’s doubles 16-round after receiving a bye.
An Se-young continued her impressive run, defeating Turkish player Neslihan Yigit in 27 minutes and advancing to the 16-round. This victory marks her 33rd consecutive win and keeps her on track for a potential repeat championship at the All England Open, a feat no Korean singles player has achieved before.
In a surprising upset, the world’s top-ranked male player from China was eliminated in the first round of the tournament. The unexpected loss puts his 83-week reign at the top of the rankings in jeopardy.
