Ahn Se-young Dominates Indonesian Badminton, Earns Praise from Legend Suzy Susanti
Indonesia’s celebrated badminton program is facing a new challenge: a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in the form of world No. 1 Ahn Se-young. Recent data reveals a startling trend – top Indonesian women’s singles players have yet to secure a single victory against the South Korean star.
The revelation, initially reported by badminton media outlet ‘Bolarop’ on November 11th, underscores Ahn Se-young’s growing influence on the international stage. Indonesia, a nation with a passionate badminton fanbase and a long history of success in the sport, has found its women’s singles ambitions repeatedly thwarted by the 26-year-old athlete.
Unblemished Record Against Indonesia’s Best
Putri Kusuma Wardani, currently ranked No. 6 in the world and a bronze medalist at the 2025 World Championships, represents Indonesia’s highest-ranked active women’s singles player. However, she has fallen to Ahn Se-young in all eight of their encounters to date. A particularly decisive defeat occurred at the BWF India Open (Super 750) in January, where Wardani was soundly beaten in the quarterfinals with a score of 0-2 (16-21, 8-21).
The struggles aren’t limited to Wardani. Gregoria Tunjung, a bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics and formerly ranked as high as No. 5 globally, has also been unable to overcome Ahn Se-young, suffering 11 consecutive losses. Tunjung’s defeat in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s singles event further highlighted Ahn Se-young’s championship caliber, as the South Korean went on to claim the gold medal against He Bingjiao of China.
A Legend Weighs In
Ahn Se-young’s consistent performance has not gone unnoticed by those at the pinnacle of the sport. Suzy Susanti, widely regarded as the greatest women’s singles player in badminton history, recently lauded the young star. Susanti, the inaugural women’s singles champion at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics – the year badminton debuted as an official Olympic sport – has amassed an impressive 50 international titles throughout her career.
She also holds the record for the longest cumulative reign at the No. 1 ranking in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) women’s singles (263 weeks) and boasts the most wins on the BWF World Tour (39, excluding Super 100 competitions). According to reports, Susanti praised Ahn Se-young’s “extraordinary fighting spirit and is very focused and immersed. She knows when to do her best and is not easily distracted.”
Indonesia’s badminton prowess has long been a source of national pride, but the emergence of Ahn Se-young has presented a significant hurdle. While the nation continues to nurture talent and invest in the sport, overcoming this formidable opponent will require a new strategic approach. Ahn Se-young’s dominance signals a shifting landscape in women’s singles badminton, and her continued success will undoubtedly shape the future of the game.
