New Delhi: Ashmita Chaliha clinched the Korea Masters 2026 women’s singles title on Sunday. She defeated China’s fourth seed Han Qianxi in three games.
The 26-year-old Indian shuttler won 14-21, 21-14, 21-14. She lost the opening game before turning the match around in the next two.
Chaliha became the first Indian to win the Korea Masters, a BWF Super 300 event. The title was also her maiden BWF World Tour crown, achieved in her first-ever tour final appearance, according to reports.
She had reached the semi-finals of the Macau Open in June. Her run in Korea included a quarter-final upset over top seed Hina Akechi of Japan.
In the final, she raced to a 9-5 lead in the first game. Han Qianxi then won five straight points to seize control and take the opener.
Chaliha regrouped and used her interval leads effectively in the second and third games. She sealed the title in 53 minutes.
Earlier in the tournament, she beat compatriot Rakshitha Ramraj in an all-Indian semi-final.
Chaliha is now the fourth Indian woman to win a BWF World Tour singles title this year. PV Sindhu won at the Japan Open, Devika Sihag triumphed at the Thailand Masters, and Tanvi Sharma won the Taipei Open last week.
She joins Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Devika Sihag and Tanvi Sharma as Indian women to have won BWF Super 300-or-higher titles.
On the men’s side, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the men’s doubles title at the Singapore Open in May, India’s other BWF World Tour win this year.
