India’s Ashmita Chaliha clinched her maiden BWF World Tour title after producing a gritty comeback win over fourth seed Han Qian Xi of China in the women’s singles final at the Korea Masters Super 300 in Asan on Sunday.
The 26-year-old from Assam overcame a slow start and a tense deciding game to defeat world No. 35 Han 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in 53 minutes, completing a memorable triumph in the country where she suffered a career-threatening knee injury two years ago.
“I feel really great and unbelievable. But then I am trying to digest it. Now, I am hungry for more,” Ashmita said after the victory.
Chaliha Completes Remarkable Comeback
Ashmita started strongly in the opening game, moving into an early 9-5 lead before Han fought back to level the score at 11-11.
The Chinese shuttler then took control of the rallies and closed out the game 21-14.
Ashmita responded emphatically in the second game, using her powerful smashes and sharp defensive play to put Han under sustained pressure. She led 11-8 at the interval and moved 17-10 ahead before sealing the game 21-14 to force a decider.
The final game remained closely contested early on, with Han leading 11-9 at the mid-game break. Ashmita then changed the momentum, attacking more aggressively and finding gaps in Han’s court.
She moved ahead 12-11 and extended her advantage to 15-11 before pulling away late in the contest. A cross-court winner made it 19-14, and Han’s return went wide to hand Ashmita championship point.
She converted it to complete the biggest title of her career.
From Career-Threatening Injury To Champion
The victory is particularly significant given Ashmita’s difficult journey over the past two years.
She suffered a medial meniscus tear in her right knee during the Korea Open in 2024 and required surgery followed by an extensive rehabilitation programme.
She returned to competition in February 2025 and played 14 events, but this year she took another three-month period to build the strength required to handle a full elite BWF calendar.
Her comeback gathered momentum with quarter-final appearances at the China Masters and Malaysia Masters before she reached the semi-finals of the Macau Open.
The Korea Masters title now represents the biggest reward for that sustained recovery.
Park’s Tactical Guidance Pays Off
Ashmita trains under South Korean coach Park Tae-Sang at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
Park, who also coached newly crowned Taipei Open champion Tanvi Sharma, said Ashmita always possessed the physical and technical ability to succeed but needed greater consistency.
“Before the injury, Ashmita was already a good player and a very good talent. She has a good smash and nice movement,” Park said.
He identified unforced errors as the key issue ahead of the final and worked with Ashmita on Han’s game through video analysis.
“I told Ashmita, ‘Your biggest problem is your own mistakes. You are making simple mistakes. But if you can reduce those simple mistakes, 100 per cent, I promise you, you can win the title today,'” Park said.
The advice proved crucial as Ashmita reduced her errors and increased her attacking intent, particularly after the mid-game interval in the decider.
Indian Badminton Continues Winning Run
Ashmita’s triumph means Indian players have won BWF World Tour titles in successive weeks.
Tanvi Sharma claimed her maiden World Tour title at the Taipei Open last Sunday, before Ashmita followed suit at the Korea Masters.
For Ashmita, however, the victory carries an even deeper significance. Two years after suffering a serious knee injury in Korea, she has returned to the same country to claim the biggest title of her career.
And after finally breaking through on the BWF Tour, her message is clear: she is now hungry for more.
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