Ashmita Chaliha wins maiden BWF World Tour title at Korea Masters
Ashmita Chaliha beat China's Han Qianxi in three games to win the Korea Masters women's singles final. The comeback victory gave the Indian her first BWF World Tour title and a place among a select group of Indian winners.
- Aug 09, 2026,
- Updated Aug 09, 2026, 10:13 AM IST
- Chaliha recovered after losing the opening game 14-21 against Han Qianxi
- She built an 11-8 interval lead before sealing the second game
- Han held a slim interval edge in the decider before momentum shifted
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha secured the biggest title of her career on August 9, defeating China's Han Qianxi 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in the women's singles final of the Korea Masters.
The 26-year-old overcame a slow start to produce a strong comeback and claim her maiden BWF World Tour crown. Her victory also made her only the fifth Indian woman to win a BWF World Tour Super 300 or higher-level title.
Chaliha and Han stayed closely matched in the opening game, with the scores tied at 11-11. Han then found her rhythm and pulled away with a run of points to take the game 21-14.
The Indian responded immediately in the second game. She combined attacking shots with disciplined defence to establish an 11-8 lead at the interval. Chaliha continued to control the rallies after the break, opening up a 17-10 advantage before wrapping up the game 21-14 with a powerful smash.
The decider was tightly contested early on, with Han holding a narrow 11-9 lead at the interval. Chaliha then stepped up the pressure, finding gaps with accurate winners and maintaining an aggressive approach.
She moved ahead 12-11 before stretching the lead to 15-11 with another well-placed shot. Chaliha remained in control towards the finish, reaching 19-14 with a cross-court winner.
Han's return then went wide, giving Chaliha the final point and sealing her first BWF World Tour title.
With the triumph, Chaliha joined an elite group of Indian women who have won BWF World Tour Super 300 or higher titles, alongside Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Devika Sihag and Tanvi Sharma.
