Baek Ha Na / Lee So Hee Digs Deep to Overturn Rui Hirokami / Sayaka Hobara in the Round of 16

Baek Ha Na / Lee So Hee, a international standout, dropped the opener at 21–8 but found another gear at the BWF World Championships 2026, overturning a gritty challenge from Rui Hirokami / Sayaka Hobara at a total match score of 8-21 21-13 21-9, in an intense 71-minute Round of 16 marathon. The high-stakes triumph underscores a meteoric ascent for Baek/Lee, who continues to showcase world-class resilience on the international stage.

Entering this high-stakes tour rematch, our AI Scout Prediction Model had assigned Rui Hirokami / Sayaka Hobara a 57% pre-match win probability, citing elite defensive retrieval and steady baseline consistency. While Hirokami/Hobara validated that analytical projection in the opening frame, Baek Ha Na / Lee So Hee engineered a tactical masterclass in Games 2 and 3—elevating aggressive smash tempo and controlling the net to secure 50 of the 93 total rallies in a marquee triumph.

With this landmark victory, Baek Ha Na / Lee So Hee advances to the next round of the BWF World Championships 2026, where Baek/Lee is slated to collide with the next seeded challenger in another marquee matchup. Our predictive AI model projects Baek/Lee with an early 54% win probability, factoring in high shot accuracy and decisive physical momentum. Who do you think will seize the victory and advance further? Cast your vote below and share your tactical breakdown in our community forum!

[ADVANCES_CARD]

Pre-Match AI Scout Analysis

Prior to the encounter, the AI Scout model favored BAEK Ha Na / LEE So Hee with a 74% confidence projection on the draw's seeding. The encounter closely reflected the analytical projection.

Match video

Player profiles: Eojin BAEK · Rui HIROKAMI

Coach subscription — list your coaching

Coach subscription — list your coaching — scan or tap. QR code linking to Coach subscription — list your coaching

Recovery & performance from the Crazybadman store

View this on Crazybadman →