Gwangju: India’s Ashmita Chaliha staged a superb comeback to defeat China’s Han Qian Xi and win the VICTOR Korea Masters 2026 women’s singles title on Sunday, securing her maiden BWF World Tour crown.

The 26-year-old Assam shuttler recovered from losing the opening game to beat the fourth-seeded Chinese player 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in 53 minutes.

The victory marks the biggest achievement of Chaliha’s comeback after an extended spell away from competitive badminton.

Chaliha fights back after slow start

Han, ranked No. 35 in the world, controlled the opening game and prevented Chaliha from settling into her attacking rhythm.

The Chinese shuttler maintained her advantage through the opening exchanges and eventually closed out the game 21-14, leaving Chaliha with little margin for error.

Chaliha responded strongly in the second game. She became more aggressive with her attacking strokes and began dictating longer rallies instead of allowing Han to control the pace.

The Indian quickly gained confidence and kept Han under sustained pressure. Her improved movement and shot-making helped her level the match by taking the second game 21-14.

Indian shuttler dominates decider

The deciding game initially remained closely contested, with both players exchanging points.

Chaliha, however, gradually gained control after the midpoint break. She produced a series of confident winners while also capitalising on errors from her Chinese opponent.

One of the key moments came when Chaliha moved 12-11 ahead with a precise winner close to the line. She followed it with another well-executed shot while stretching to send the shuttle just inside the court, extending her lead to 15-11.

From there, the Indian maintained her momentum.

A cross-court winner helped Chaliha move 19-14 ahead before Han sent her next return wide. That gave the Indian the match and the Korea Masters title after a memorable three-game comeback.

Maiden Super 300 title

The Korea Masters victory is Chaliha’s first BWF World Tour title and represents a major milestone in her career.

The Indian entered the tournament seeking to build momentum after returning from a three-month injury layoff.

She returned to the BWF Tour in May after suffering a tear in her right knee. Since making her comeback, Chaliha has gradually regained her competitive rhythm.

Her run to the semi-finals of the Macau Open had already indicated that she was returning to her best, and the Korea Masters title now provides a major boost to her confidence.

Currently ranked No. 50 in the world, Chaliha trains under Park Tae-Sang at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.

Strong comeback after injury

Chaliha’s victory is particularly significant given the challenges she faced during her time away from competition.

A three-month absence can make it difficult for an athlete to regain match sharpness, movement and confidence, particularly in a physically demanding sport such as badminton.

Her performance in the Korea Masters final showed her ability to recover from setbacks within a match as well as over the longer course of her comeback.

After losing the first game, she did not allow Han to dictate the contest. Instead, she increased the intensity of her attacking game and steadily took control.

The straight 21-14 scores in the second and third games reflected the turnaround.

Back-to-back women’s singles titles for India

Chaliha’s triumph also adds to a strong recent run for Indian women’s singles players on the BWF World Tour.

Her victory comes just a week after Tanvi Sharma won the Taipei Open, where she claimed her maiden BWF Super 300 title.

With two Indian women’s singles players winning titles in successive weeks, the results provide encouraging signs for India’s depth in the discipline.

Chaliha’s achievement is also significant because it comes against a higher-ranked opponent in the final. Han entered the contest as the fourth seed and ranked 35th in the world, while Chaliha was ranked 50th.

A major milestone for Chaliha

The Korea Masters title caps a remarkable turnaround for the Assam shuttler.

From returning after a knee injury in May to reaching the Macau Open semi-finals and now winning her first BWF World Tour title, Chaliha has made significant progress in a relatively short period.

Her ability to recover after dropping the opening game against Han further underlined her resilience.

The 53-minute final also showcased her improved attacking confidence and ability to stay composed during crucial stages of the deciding game.

With the Korea Masters title secured, Chaliha will now look to build on this momentum as she continues her return to the upper levels of women’s singles badminton.

For Indian badminton, her breakthrough adds another encouraging chapter to an increasingly competitive women’s singles landscape.