There were course corrections plenty in the final as Ashmita beat back the disappointment of not finishing a 9-5 lead in the opening set by controlling the following two sets with greater precision in the next two.

The left-hander earned many fans with his crisp, cutting southpaw game amongst the Koreans as the round the head smashes, the backhand crosscourts and her defense entertained plenty while denying the 24-year-old World No 35 Chinese.

Ashmita’s game has always been Top 20 quality, but she severely lacked in consistency and then suffered a terrible injury in 2024 with the knee needing operation.

She subsequently moved back to Guwahati from Bangalore, stayed at the National Centre hostel despite being a local, and rebuilt her confidence. Learning to be more independent, she also grew in maturity and took responsibility for her game that sizzled with jump smashing attack but would often fail her in big moments due to her casual shot selection.

ALSO READ | Lakshya Sen’s next opponent is invisible, and he’s building a room to fight it in

This week, be it against Japanese top seed Akechi or against the Chinese Han, Ashmita showed absolute nerveless class to assert her game on the clutch phase, winning her 4th international tittle but first ever at a Super 300 level.

Ashmita becomes the third Indian after Devika Sihag, Tanvi Sharma to claim a Super 300 this year. PV Sindhu’s Japan Open Super 750 has also come in an encouraging first half of 2026 for India who finds itself with 11 players in Top 52.

With the win, Ashmita will enter Top 40 for the first time in her life – a late blooming, but a success that’s Ling been due for the super talented southpaw, arguably the most talented attacking shuttler since Saina and Sindhu.

(More to Follow)