French Open 2026: PV Sindhu Reaches Final After Thrilling Win

PV Sindhu has advanced to the final of the BWF French Open 2026 after defeating Japan's Hina Akechi in a closely fought women's singles semifinal at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday. The two-time Olympic medallist won 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in a contest that lasted 73 minutes.

The match took place on Court 1. Sindhu dropped the second game after a tight finish but bounced back strongly in the third to seal the win.

Her opponent in Sunday's final will be An Se-young, South Korea's reigning world No. 1. An earlier beat Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 21-19 in only 45 minutes. An is now aiming to further improve her record as the most successful player in terms of titles on the BWF circuit.

Sindhu began strongly and won the opening game 21-10. Akechi kept pressing in the second game, and although Sindhu briefly moved ahead after 16-16 and took the next two points, the Japanese shuttler tied the score and took the match to a decider.

The final game remained close throughout, with the score tied several times. Sindhu held the upper hand for most of the game, but Akechi levelled at 14-14 and went ahead 16-15. Sindhu did not waver, winning six straight points to take the game 21-16 and the match.

This is Sindhu's second WORLD TOUR Super 750 final of the season, having won the Japan Open in July. The final will be the 11th meeting between her and An on the circuit and their third this year. If Sindhu prevails, it will be her first win over the South Korean.

Ahead of the final, Sindhu said every point will matter and that An is playing exceptionally well. She noted that the two have met many times before, but that each day is different. Her focus, she said, is on going out and giving her best, with the result depending on the day's play. She added that she is ready to put up a strong fight.