PV Sindhu Advances to French Open Final After Thrilling Semifinal Victory

PV Sindhu has advanced to the final of the French Open after a hard-fought semifinal against Japan's Hina Akechi. The match showcased Sindhu's resilience as she battled through a tough second game to secure her place in the final. She will face World No. 1 An Se Young, aiming for her first victory against the reigning champion. Sindhu's journey to the final has been impressive, including a decisive quarter-final win over Chiu Pin-chian. Read on to discover more about her performance and what lies ahead in the final.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 24, 2026, 18:27 IST

PV Sindhu Reaches French Open Final

Two-time Olympic champion PV Sindhu has secured her place in the final of the French Open by overcoming Japan's Hina Akechi with scores of 21-10, 20-22, and 21-16 in a semifinal match that lasted one hour and 13 minutes at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday. Sindhu began the match with a strong performance, easily winning the first game 21-10. However, Akechi took control in the latter part of the second game, leading for most of it. Sindhu briefly took the lead at 16-all but could not maintain it, allowing Akechi to equalize and push the match to a deciding game. This achievement marks Sindhu's second appearance in a BWF World Tour Super 750 final this season, following her victory at the Japan Open in July.

Final Showdown Against An Se Young

In the upcoming final, Sindhu will compete against World No. 1 and reigning world champion An Se Young. This match will be their 11th encounter on the professional circuit and the third this year. A victory for Sindhu would be her first against the South Korean player, as noted in a statement from the Badminton Association of India (BAI). Reflecting on the final, Sindhu expressed her determination, stating, "I need to give her a tough fight. Every point is crucial. We've faced each other many times, and she has been in excellent form. However, I believe tomorrow is a new day, and I will give my best. The outcome will depend on that day."

Quarter-final Highlights

Sindhu reached the semifinals by defeating Chiu Pin-chian from Chinese Taipei in straight games during the quarter-finals on Friday. The world No. 11 Indian player won against world No. 17 Chiu with scores of 21-13, 21-14 in a match that lasted 39 minutes, as reported by Olympics.com. Sindhu took an early lead of 11-5 at the interval in the first game and maintained her dominance throughout, quickly establishing a 7-0 lead in the second game to secure the match. This victory marked Sindhu's second win over Chiu, having previously defeated her at the Asian Games 2026 last month.