Paris, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu stormed into the women’s singles final of the BWF French Open 2026 after defeating Japan’s Hina Akechi in a hard-fought three-game semifinal at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday.
Sindhu recovered from a narrow second-game defeat to secure a 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 victory in a contest lasting 73 minutes.
The Indian star will face South Korea’s world No. 1 An Se Young in Sunday’s final. An Se Young booked her place in the title clash by defeating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 21-19 in 45 minutes.
Sindhu made a confident start to her semifinal, dominating the opening game 21-10. However, Akechi fought back in the second game, maintaining her advantage through much of the contest. Sindhu briefly drew level at 16-all and moved ahead by two points, but the Japanese shuttler rallied to win the game 22-20 and force a decider.
The third game proved equally competitive, with both players exchanging points. Sindhu looked in control for much of the decider before Akechi mounted a comeback, levelling the score at 14-all and taking a 16-15 lead.
Sindhu responded emphatically, raising her level and winning six consecutive points to close out the game 21-16 and secure her place in the final.
The victory marks Sindhu’s second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the season. She previously claimed the Japan Open title in July.
Sunday’s showdown against reigning world champion An Se Young will be their 11th meeting on the international circuit and their third encounter this year. Sindhu will be aiming for her first victory over the South Korean star.
Speaking ahead of the final, Sindhu acknowledged the challenge posed by her opponent but expressed her determination to compete strongly.
“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,” she said.
Sindhu added that the outcome would depend on the performance on the day, saying she was ready to put up a strong fight in the title clash.
FOLLOW NOW
