Sindhu overcomes a fighting Akechi to set up title clash against World No.1 An Se Young

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu advanced to the final of the French Open after defeating Japan’s Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in a one-hour-and-13-minute semifinal at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday.

The Andhra Pradesh shuttler will face World No. 1 and reigning world champion An Se Young in Sunday’s final. The match will be their 11th meeting on the circuit and their third encounter this year. A win would mark Sindhu’s first victory over the South Korean.

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Sindhu started strongly, comfortably taking the opening game 21-10. However, Akechi held the lead through the latter half of the second game, with Sindhu briefly moving ahead at 16 all and held it for the next two points, but the Japanese shuttler managed to level the game to force a decider.

The decider saw a close contest, with the scores level at multiple points. Sindhu dominated most of the game before Akechi fought back to level the scores at 14-all and take a 16-15 lead. But the Indian star remained error-free, winning six consecutive points to close out the decider 21-16 and seal her place in the final.

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, says Sindhu on the final against World No.1 An Se Young. Pics: BWF/Badminton Photo

This marks Sindhu’s second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the season, following her title-winning run at the Japan Open in July.

I have to give her a good fight: Sindhu

Looking ahead to the final against An Se Young, 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 just decides on that particular day. So yeah, I’m ready to give a fight.”

The 31-year-old Indian badminton player is one win away from her seventh BWF World Tour title and a second Super 750 crown of the season.

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Sindhu won her sixth World Tour title at the Japan Open in July, beating three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the final. It was Sindhu’s first BWF title since December 2024 and a maiden Super 750 crown.

A French Open triumph would give the former world champion two titles in the same season for the first time since 2022. Sindhu’s campaign in France saw her survive a dramatic opening-round battle against Supanida Katethong of Thailand before beating Riko Gunji of Japan and Chiu Pin-chian of Chinese Taipei in straight games.

An Se Young has been the most dominant singles players in recent times

Standing between Sindhu and the title, however, is the most dominant women’s singles badminton player of recent times. An Se Young enters Sunday’s final with a staggering 65-1 win-loss record in 2026 and is currently on a 49-match winning streak.

The South Korean has already won nine titles this year and will be looking to make the French Open her 10th.

Sindhu is yet to beat An Se Young, with the South Korean holding a 10-0 head-to-head record against the Indian going into Sunday’s French Open final.

Sindhu is yet to beat An Se Young, with the South Korean holding a 10-0 head-to-head record against the Indian going into Sunday’s French Open final

Sindhu has won just one game across their previous 10 matches. That came in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships, where Sindhu took the opener before An Se Young recovered to win 18-21, 21-5, 21-9.

Their only previous meeting in a final came at the 2021 BWF World Tour Finals. An Se Young, then 19, beat Sindhu 21-16, 21-12 to lift the title. Sindhu and Young have already crossed paths twice in 2026. Young won 21-17, 21-14 in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open in May before prevailing 21-17, 21-15 in the second round of the Indonesia Open a week later.

Lop-sided contest between Sindhu and An Se Young

The 10-0 head-to-head record stands out as an exceptionally one-sided rivalry, even by the standards of Sindhu’s storied battles against the leading players of her generation.

Former world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei retired with a 19-5 advantage over Sindhu across their 24 meetings. Three-time world champion Carolina Marin, meanwhile, held a 12-6 advantage over Sindhu when the Spaniard retired earlier this year.

A victory will make Sindhu the first Indian woman to win the French Open singles title since Aparna Popat in 1998. Saina Nehwal finished runner-up in 2012. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the most recent French Open champions from India, having bagged the men’s doubles title in 2024.