If one thing that has stood out about PV Sindhu during her time in the French Open, it has been her resilience, ability to make a comeback and dig herself out from tough spots. Now she stands on the cusp of another title. But standing in her way is the inevitable World No. 1, An Se Young.
Sindhu is on the brink of another major milestonewith the 31-year-old Indian shuttler just one victory away from claiming her seventh BWF World Tour title and a second Super 750 crown in the same season.
Sindhu reignited her title-winning form at the Japan Open in July, overcoming three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the final to secure her sixth World Tour trophy. The triumph also marked her first BWF title since December 2024 and her breakthrough victory at the Super 750 level.
Now, a French Open crown would take her resurgence to another level, giving the former world champion multiple titles in a calendar year for the first time since 2022.
There were signs of vintage Sindhu throughout the tournament as she began her campaign with a hard-fought win over Thailand’s Supanida Katethong before shifting gears to dispatch Japan’s Riko Gunji and Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-chian in straight games.
In the semi-final, it was another test for the Indian ace as she won a three-game contest. Sindhu showed tremendous grit against Akechi, holding her nerve in a tense decider after the Japanese shuttler threatened to turn the match around.
The Indian edged ahead in a tight opening game before shifting gears to claim it 21-10, winning 11 of the final 12 points. Akechi responded in the second, using clever shot-making and resolute defence to push Sindhu onto the back foot. The Indian fought back to level the score at 20-20, but the Japanese won the next two crucial points to force a decider.
Sindhu made a positive start in the third game, only for Akechi to claw her way back and draw level at 15-15. With the contest finely poised, an exhausting 38-shot rally ended with a Japanese net error, giving Sindhu a vital 18-16 lead. She then stepped up the pressure, earned four match points after Akechi hit wide and sealed the win with a cross-court smash.
THE AN SE YOUNG TEST
Standing in Sindhu’s way is arguably the toughest challenge in women’s singles badminton right now. South Korean superstar An Se Young has been virtually unstoppable in 2026, boasting an astonishing 65-1 win-loss record and riding a 49-match winning streak into Sunday’s final.
With nine titles already under her belt this season, the world No. 1 will be chasing a landmark 10th crown at the French Open.
To see the level of dominance Young has produced at the French Open, you just need to see the scores of her matches so far. So far, she is yet to drop a game and won her first round match against Amalie Schulz 21-6, 21-4.
This was followed by a 21-11, 21-14 win over Tanvi Sharma, 21-13, 21-16 victory over Han Yue and then beating Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 21-19.
SINDHU VS AN SE YOUNG: HEAD-TO-HEAD
There may be no way to sugarcoat this, but Sindhu will have work cut out against Young. Sindhu faces a daunting task on Sunday, with An Se Young having won all 10 of their previous encounters. The Indian has managed to take just one game off the South Korean across those meetings.
Sindhu came closest to troubling An Se Young in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships. She claimed the opening game but could not sustain the momentum, eventually going down 18-21, 21-5, 21-9.
Their only previous meeting in a final came at the 2021 BWF World Tour Finals, where a 19-year-old An Se Young cruised to a 21-16, 21-12 victory to lift the trophy.
The pair have met twice already in 2026, with the South Korean extending her dominance on both occasions. She won 21-17, 21-14 in the Singapore Open quarter-finals in May before defeating Sindhu 21-17, 21-15 in the second round of the Indonesia Open a week later.
Despite this, Sindhu is backing herself to put on a show for the fans and challenge the dominance shown Young.
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,” said Sindhu.
For the Indian ace to stop the Korean juggernaut, then she will need to consider it as a new day and fight for each point.
WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH SINDHU VS AN SE YOUNG FRENCH OPEN FINAL?
Indian fans can catch the PV Sindhu vs An Se Young showdown in the French Open 2026 final live on FanCode. The title clash will not be available on any television channel in India.
The final is scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM IST on Sunday.
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