$e-young! An tops badminton money list ahead of Axelsen

PETALING JAYA: South Korean sensation An Se-young (pic) underlined her dominance by heading the money list in badminton this year.

The 21-year-old women’s singles shuttler incredibly reached nine World Tour finals and captured seven titles so far in the year to pocket more than RM1mil.

According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF), world No. 1 Se-young comfortably finished ahead of Denmark’s men’s singles shuttler Viktor Axelsen with US$428,480 (RM1,988,147).

Axelsen, who had reached four World Tour finals and captured three titles, earned US$270,195 (RM1,253,705).

Half of the top 10 were women.

Malaysian Open champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan came third after pocketing US$259,190 (RM1,202,642) while China’s Chen Yufei finished fourth with US$175,760 (RM815,526).

Yufei’s compatriots in the mixed doubles Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong finished joint sixth with US$154,828 (RM718,401) each after winning all the Super 1000 tournaments held so far this year — the Malaysian Open, All-England and Indonesian Open.

TOP 10 EARNERS

1. An Se-young (Kor), women’s singles US$428,480 (RM1,988,147);

2. Viktor Axelsen (Den), men’s singles US$270,195 (RM1,253,705);

3. Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), women’s singles US$259,190 (RM1,202,642);

4. Chen Yufei (Chn), women’s singles US$175,760 (RM815,526);

5. Li Shifeng (Chn), men’s singles US$162,125 (752,260);

6 & 7. Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong (Chn), mixed doubles US$259,190 (RM1,202,642);

8. Baek Ha-na (Kor), women’s doubles, US$145,021 (RM672,897)

9. Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha), men’s singles US$138,275 (RM641,596)

10. Anthony Ginting (Ina), men’s singles US$133,960 (RM621,574