Ashmita Chaliha Shocks Akane Yamaguchi in French Open Upset

Chaliha's Historic Win at the French Open

Paris [France], October 22: In a stunning display of skill, Ashmita Chaliha achieved the most significant victory of her career by defeating three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi from Japan in the second round of the 2026 French Open badminton tournament.

The 27-year-old Indian player, currently ranked 36th in women's singles, triumphed over world No. 2 Yamaguchi with scores of 21-19, 21-18 in a swift 37 minutes, according to reports from Olympics.com.

Earlier this year, Yamaguchi was the runner-up at the BWF World Championships held in New Delhi, where she lost to South Korea's An Se Young in the final match.

Chaliha, who secured her first BWF World Tour title at the Korea Masters Super 300 this year, started strong in the first game, establishing an 18-14 lead and maintaining her composure to win the opening game.

Despite having defeated Chaliha in straight games at the Denmark Open just a week prior, Yamaguchi fought back to tie the first game at 18-18. However, Chaliha remained calm under pressure and clinched the game at 19-19.

The second game was more straightforward for Chaliha. After a competitive start, the score was tied at 7-7 before she pulled ahead, ultimately securing a remarkable victory in straight games.

Chaliha's relentless defensive strategy and consistent retrievals pressured Yamaguchi, leading to several unforced errors from the former world champion.

In the quarter-finals, Chaliha will face either Japan's Olympic medallist and former world champion Nozomi Okuhara or Thailand's world No. 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong.

Additionally, PV Sindhu also advanced to the quarter-finals of the BWF Super 750 tournament, defeating Japan's Riko Gunji with a score of 21-12, 21-16 in 44 minutes.