Sindhu storms into French Open 2026 final, faces An Se Young for first win
Synopsis
PV Sindhu is one win away from a historic first victory over World No. 1 An Se Young, after fighting back from a second-game deficit to beat Hina Akechi in Paris. It is her second Super 750 final of 2026 — and the biggest test of her season.
Key Takeaways
PV Sindhu defeated Hina Akechi of Japan 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in 73 minutes at the BWF French Open 2026 semifinals.
She will face World No.
1 An Se Young of South Korea in Sunday's final at the Arena Grand Paris .
Sunday's match will be their 11th career meeting and third encounter in 2026 ; Sindhu is yet to beat the South Korean.
This is Sindhu's second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the season, after winning the Japan Open in July .
An Se Young beat Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 21-19 in just 45 minutes to reach the final.
PV Sindhu, India's two-time Olympic medallist, powered her way into the final of the BWF French Open 2026 on Saturday, 24 October, defeating Japan's Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in a hard-fought 73-minute women's singles semifinal at the Arena Grand Paris. The victory sets up a highly anticipated title clash against World No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea.
How Sindhu Won the Semifinal
Sindhu came out of the blocks strongly, cruising through the opening game 21-10 with clinical precision. The second game proved far tighter — she briefly moved ahead at 16-all before Akechi levelled and edged ahead to claim the set 22-20, forcing a decider.
The third game was a tense affair, with scores knotted at multiple stages. Akechi fought back to level at 14-all and even snatched a 16-15 lead, threatening a major upset. But Sindhu responded with six consecutive points to close out the decider 21-16 and book her place in Sunday's final.
The Final: Sindhu vs An Se Young
Sindhu's opponent, An Se Young, swept past Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 21-19 in just 45 minutes in the other semifinal. Sunday's summit clash will be their 11th meeting on the BWF circuit and their third encounter this year. Crucially, Sindhu has not beaten the reigning world champion in any of their previous meetings — a win on Sunday would be historic.
An Se Young is also gunning to extend her record as the player with the most titles on the BWF circuit, adding further stakes to the encounter.
What Sindhu Said Ahead of the Final
Speaking after her semifinal victory, Sindhu said: 'I have to give her a good fight, a tough fight. Every point matters. I know we've played a lot of times and she's been doing really well. She's been at her top form. But I think tomorrow is a different day. Every day is a new day. I just have to go out there and give my best. Rest decides that particular day. So yeah, I'm ready to give a fight.'
Where This Fits in Sindhu's Season
The French Open final is Sindhu's second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the 2026 season, following her title-winning campaign at the Japan Open in July. The form she has shown in Paris — recovering from a second-game deficit against a resilient Japanese opponent — signals a player in confident touch heading into the season's final stretch.
All eyes will be on the Arena Grand Paris on Sunday as Sindhu chases her first-ever victory over the dominant South Korean and potentially her second Super 750 title of the year.
Point of View
However, is the head-to-head: Sindhu has never beaten An Se Young in any format, and the South Korean is on a trajectory to extend her own circuit-record titles. A Sindhu victory would be the most significant result in Indian women's badminton since her Olympic medals — but the match arrives at a time when An Se Young is arguably the most dominant women's singles player on the planet. The gap between the two shuttlers has closed on the scoreboard; the question is whether it has closed enough to flip the result.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score in PV Sindhu's French Open 2026 semifinal?
PV Sindhu defeated Japan's Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in 73 minutes in the women's singles semifinal of the BWF French Open 2026 at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday, 24 October.
Who will PV Sindhu face in the French Open 2026 final?
Sindhu will face World No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea in Sunday's final. An Se Young beat Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 21-19 in 45 minutes to set up the clash.
Has Sindhu ever beaten An Se Young?
No — Sunday's final will be their 11th career meeting and third encounter in 2026, and Sindhu has not won any of their previous matches. A victory on Sunday would be her first over the reigning world champion.
What is the significance of this French Open final for Sindhu?
It is Sindhu's second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the 2026 season, after she won the Japan Open title in July. A win in Paris would mark her as the most in-form Indian shuttler of the year and her first career victory over An Se Young.
Where is the BWF French Open 2026 being held?
The BWF French Open 2026 is being held at the Arena Grand Paris in Paris, France. The women's singles final is scheduled for Sunday, 25 October 2026.
