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Ashmita Chaliha Wins First BWF World Tour Title at Korea Masters 2026, Defeating China’s Han Qian Xi on 9 August

Ashmita Chaliha of India won her first BWF World Tour title on Sunday, 9 August 2026, at the VICTOR Korea Masters in Asan, South Korea. The 26-year-old from Assam defeated China’s Han Qian Xi in the women’s singles final by a score of 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in a match that lasted 53 minutes.

Chaliha, ranked around World No. 50 at the time of the event, entered the final after a strong run that included a quarter-final victory over top seed Hina Akechi and a semi-final win against fellow Indian Rakshita Sree Santhosh Ramraj. In the final she faced fourth-seeded Han Qian Xi, ranked No. 35 and the reigning German Open champion.

The opening game went to the Chinese player. Chaliha began brightly and led 9-5, but a series of errors allowed Han to seize control and close the game 21-14. In the second game the Indian improved her consistency and aggression. She levelled the match by taking the second game 21-14. The deciding game followed a similar pattern. Chaliha built a lead, maintained pressure with precise cross-court winners, and closed out the contest 21-14 when Han’s return went wide.

The victory made Chaliha the first Indian to win the Korea Masters title. It also marked the third Super 300 title won by an Indian women’s singles player in 2026, following earlier successes by Devika Sihag at the Thailand Masters and Tanvi Sharma at the Chinese Taipei Open. For Chaliha the result represented the biggest title of her career, surpassing her previous best of a semi-final appearance at the Macau Open earlier in the season.

After the match Chaliha described the win as both great and almost unbelievable, adding that she remained hungry for more success. The result came after a period in which she had been working to regain full competitive rhythm. The Korea Masters title provided a clear breakthrough on the BWF World Tour.

As of 9 August 2026 the final in Asan stood as the highlight of the tournament for Indian badminton, confirming Chaliha’s first World Tour crown and adding another Super 300 success to India’s growing list of results in 2026.