Sports

Top-ranked An, holder Yamaguchi reach badminton worlds semi-finals

Published on August 21, 2026 at 14:41

South Korea's world number one An Se-young will face China's world number three Wang Zhiyi in the semi-finals of the badminton world championships — BAY ISMOYO / AFP
South Korea's world number one An Se-young will face China's world number three Wang Zhiyi in the semi-finals of the badminton world championships — BAY ISMOYO / AFP

South Korea's world number one An Se-young and defending champion Akane Yamaguchi registered strong wins to reach the semi-finals of the badminton world championships on Friday.

Olympic champion An beat China's Han Yue, who is ranked fifth in the world, 21-19, 21-12 at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium as she bids to win a second world crown.

An will face China's world number three Wang Zhiyi, who served past Line Christophersen of Denmark 21-10, 21-7 in the quarter-final clash to ensure herself a medal.

Japanese star Yamaguchi -- a three-time world champion who won the crown in Paris last year, beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-17, 21-10 in 28 minutes in a strong show of intent.

Yamaguchi will clash with Pornpawee Chochuwong, who got a walkover after Japan's Nozomi Okuhara withdrew from the contest due to a knee injury.

In men's singles, seventh-seeded Victor Lai of Canada had a tough outing against Denmark's Rasmus Gemke before he beat the unseeded player 21-19, 21-18 in 54 minutes.

World number two Kunlavut Vitidsarn fell to Alex Lanier of France 21-19, 16-21, 16-21.

Tenth-ranked Lanier made Kunlavut stretch with top smashes and returns and fought back after losing the opening game to make his first semi-final in the showpiece event.

Japan's 10th-seeded Kodai Naraoka stunned Denmark's world number four Anders Antonsen 21-19, 21-15 to advance to the final four.

Latest stories

Topthemen Verlorener Prozess: Prinz Harry und weitere Kläger müssen 9,5 Millionen Pfund zahlen

Nach ihrer gescheiterten Klage gegen den Boulevardzeitungsverlag ANL wegen fragwürdiger Recherchemethoden müssen der britische Prinz Harry und weitere Prominente dem Verlag Prozesskosten in Höhe von mindestens 9,5 Millionen Pfund (elf Millionen Euro) zurückzahlen. Das geht aus einer am Freitag veröffentlichten Gerichtsentscheidung hervor. Die Prominenten hatten dem Verlag der "Daily Mail" und der "Mail on Sunday" vorgeworfen, Privatdetektive angeheuert zu haben, um Autos und Wohnungen zu verwanzen sowie illegal...

21 Aug. 2026 — vor 46 minutes