How did Lee So-hee and Baek Hana win the women’s doubles world title?

They beat the top-seeded Chinese pair of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning 21-15, 21-15 in the final at the world championships in New Delhi. They stayed ahead from the start and never trailed in the match.

Why are Lee So-hee and Baek Hana feeling more confident before the Asian Games?

They said defeating Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning in the world championships final gave them hope they can do the same at the Asian Games. Baek Hana said they finally ended their losing streak against the Chinese pair and can enter the next meeting with more confidence.

What did Lee So-hee and Baek Hana say after winning their first world title together?

Lee said she had only dreamed of winning a world title and thanked Baek Hana for helping make that dream come true at age 32. Baek said she finally won her first world championships medal thanks to Lee.

With world title in tow, badminton doubles team feeling confident ahead of Asian Games

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Summary

Lee So-hee and Baek Hana said Tuesday their confidence is high ahead of next month’s Asian Games after winning their first world badminton title together. The women’s doubles pair beat China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning 21-15, 21-15 in the world championships final in New Delhi on Sunday. It was South Korea’s first women’s doubles world title since 1995. The duo said the victory should help them approach their next meeting with the Chinese pair with more confidence.

Key Facts

Lee So-hee and Baek Hana won the women’s doubles final at the world championships in New Delhi on Sunday.
They defeated China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning 21-15, 21-15 and clinched the gold medal in 51 minutes.
South Korea’s previous women’s doubles world title came in 1995.
The Asian Games begin Sept. 19 in Japan.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 25, 2026 10:30 am KST

Korean badminton players Lee So-hee, left, and Baek Hana speak to reporters at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday, two days after winning the women's doubles title at the Badminton World Federation World Championships in New Delhi. Yonhap

Having won their first world badminton title together, the women's doubles team of Lee So-hee and Baek Hana said Tuesday their confidence is running high ahead of next month's Asian Games.

Lee and Baek took down the top-seeded team from China, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, 21-15, 21-15, in the women's doubles final at the world championships in New Delhi on Sunday. It was Korea's first world title in the women's doubles since 1995.

Lee, 32, had previously won a bronze and a silver at world championships with a different partner, Shin Seung-chan, before completing her medal collection with the gold with Baek.

"I only dreamed about winning a world title and it means so much to have it come true," Lee told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. "I want to thank Hana for helping me realize this dream at 32."

Baek, 25, responded: "I had no medal from world championships and I finally got one thanks to So-hee."

Lee and Baek were not considered a gold medal favorite before the competition. They had not won any international event this season and they had lost their five previous meetings against the Liu-Tan tandem.

Finally toppling the formidable Chinese team will be a major confidence boost ahead of the Asian Games, which begin Sept. 19 in Japan.

"Because we were able to beat them in the world championships final, we saw hope that we can do the same against them at the Asian Games," Lee said.

Baek added: "We finally ended our losing streak against them and I think we will be able to go into our next meeting against them with more confidence."

Despite their poor recent history against Liu and Tan, Lee and Baek were hardly threatened in the final.

They won the first five points of the first game and never trailed. In the second game, they broke away from a 4-4 tie to build a 10-5 lead. After the Chinese team cut it to 13-12, the Koreans scored five consecutive points to pull away. They clinched the gold medal in 51 minutes.

"Hana was great with her net play. It made us easy to score points," Lee said.

Baek deferred credit to her teammate.

"She is a tremendous offensive player and I wanted to create chances for her," Baek said. "She was incredible and I was just trying to hold up my end of the bargain."

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