Indian badminton player Ashmita Chahal demonstrated outstanding play at the Korea Masters 2026 tournament in Korea. The twenty-six-year-old athlete from Assam won the women's singles title by defeating the fourth seed from China, Han Yan Shi.
This marked Ashmita's first title in the BWF World Tour. The final match took place in Asan, South Korea, on Sunday, August 9th. Although Ashmita could not perform her best in the first set and lost, she brilliantly recovered under pressure, winning the next two sets. The Indian athlete defeated Han, who was ranked 35th in the world, with a score of 14-21, 21-14, 21-14. The match lasted 53 minutes.
At the beginning of the final match, the Chinese opponent put significant pressure on Ashmita, winning the first set with a score of 21-14. This created a serious problem for Ashmita. However, in the second set, the Indian badminton player changed her tactics, improving her control over rallies. She did not give Han many chances and won the second set with a score of 21-14, leveling the score at 1-1. In the deciding set, Ashmita maintained her pace, showing patience under pressure, and won with a score of 21-14, securing the trophy.
Ashmita's path to this title was not easy. In the quarterfinals, she had to play against Hina Aketchi, a top seed and world number 22 from Japan. Despite losing the first set (20-22), Ashmita pulled off a major surprise, winning the match with a score of 21-15, 21-19. Then, in the semifinals, she faced her compatriot Rakshita Ramradge. In the three-set match, Ashmita won with a score of 21-13, 16-21, 21-13, securing her place in the final.
This title holds particular significance given Ashmita's recent physical condition issues. Due to a tear in her right knee, she had to be absent from badminton courts for about three months. Ashmita returned to play in May and won a BWF World Tour title just a few months later. Becoming champion in such a tournament after an injury is one of the major achievements of her career.
Throughout the tournament, Ashmita Chahal demonstrated the ability to return to play in difficult circumstances. Both in the quarterfinals and the final, she managed to turn the tide of the match after losing the first set. The victory over the fourth seed from China added a new chapter to her career.
