Ashmita Chaliha Advances to Korea Masters 2026 Women's Singles Final

Chaliha Secures Spot in Final

Ashmita Chaliha of India has successfully reached the women's singles final at the Korea Masters 2026, defeating fellow Indian Rakshitha Ramraj in a thrilling semi-final match held at the Asan Yi Sun-sin Gymnasium on Saturday.

Intense Semi-Final Match

Ranked 50th in the world, Chaliha triumphed over the 49th-ranked Ramraj with scores of 21-13, 16-21, and 21-13 in a match that lasted 48 minutes. Chaliha started strong, leading 11-6 at the interval in the first game and closing it out comfortably. However, Ramraj fought back in the second game, also taking an 11-6 lead and managing to fend off Chaliha's attempts to equalize, thus forcing a decisive third game. In the final game, Chaliha regained her momentum, quickly establishing an 11-3 lead after a six-point streak, and maintained her advantage to secure her victory.

First BWF Final on the Horizon

This final marks Chaliha's inaugural appearance in a BWF World Tour final. Previously, she reached the semi-finals at the Macau Open in June. In the title match, she will compete against Han Qianxi of China, the fourth seed and 2026 German Open champion. Notably, Chaliha also overcame Japan's top seed Hina Akechi on her path to the final.

Indian Players Shine on BWF Tour

Should Chaliha clinch victory in Korea, she will become the fourth Indian woman to secure a BWF title this year, joining the ranks of Tanvi Sharma at the Taipei Open, PV Sindhu at the Japan Open, and Devika Sihag at the Thailand Masters. Additionally, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have also made their mark by winning the men's doubles title at the Singapore Badminton Open in May.