India’s PV Sindhu finished runner-up at the French Open 2026 after a fighting three-game final against world No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea in Paris on Sunday, October 25. The two-time Olympic medallist won the opening game and led early in the decider, but the reigning Olympic and world champion recovered to win 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 at the Arena Grand Paris and claim her fourth French Open title.
It was Sindhu’s maiden French Open final. The 31-year-old, ranked 11th in the world, had reached the summit clash after beating Japan’s Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in the semi-final. She was aiming for her seventh BWF World Tour title and her second of the season, after winning the Japan Open in July, her first title since December 2024. She was also seeking to become the first Indian woman since Aparna Popat in 1998 to win the French Open singles title.
Key Takeaways
- PV Sindhu lost the French Open 2026 women’s singles final to world No. 1 An Se Young, 21-16, 11-21, 12-21, in Paris.
- Sindhu won the opening game and led 8-5 in the decider before An Se Young took control of the rallies.
- The defeat extended Sindhu’s losing run against An Se Young to 11 matches, but her run to a maiden French Open final underlined her return to form.
A Dream Start in Paris
Sindhu made an impressive start, using her reach, attacking strokes and deceptive net play to trouble the tournament’s top seed. After matching An Se Young in the early exchanges, she gradually gained the upper hand once the score was tied at 11-all in the opening game, using her court awareness to keep the South Korean under pressure. She closed out the game 21-16 in 20 minutes, raising hopes of an upset.
It was only the second time Sindhu had managed to take a game off An Se Young in their 11 meetings. The previous instance came in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships, where Sindhu won the first game before the South Korean rallied to win. Sunday’s opening game therefore carried real significance: it showed that Sindhu could still trouble the best player in the world, even after a long period in which the head-to-head had gone one way.
The Momentum Turns
An Se Young responded strongly in the second game. She improved her control of the rallies, capitalised on Sindhu’s errors and took an 11-7 lead at the interval before extending her advantage to win the game 21-11 and level the contest. The match, which lasted just over an hour, was now heading for a decider.
Sindhu continued to fight in the final game, building an early 8-5 advantage through sharp returns and aggressive play. An Se Young gradually recovered, drawing level at 8-8 before taking control with powerful smashes and precise placement. Reports of the match describe a run of six consecutive points that opened up a 15-9 lead for the South Korean, after which she maintained her advantage and closed out the game 21-12 to seal the title.
Sindhu won the opening game, then watched the final slip away as An Se Young took control of the rallies.
What the Final Means for Sindhu
Despite the loss, Sindhu’s campaign offered encouragement. She entered the final after a demanding semi-final against Akechi, and her week in Paris included the kind of composed, attacking badminton that had been less consistent in recent seasons. Her Japan Open win in July had already signalled a revival; reaching a Super 750 final, against the world No. 1, added weight to that picture.
Speaking after the match, Sindhu said competing against top players requires giving everything on every point. As reported by the Badminton Association of India, she said: “When you are playing with the top athletes, you have to be at your 100% every single point. I know it is not going to be easy and you have to fight for every point. That is what we were doing.” She added that she was happy with the result but felt there was still plenty of room for improvement, and that she was looking forward to what comes next.
For An Se Young, the victory extended a remarkable run of form. Reports put her winning streak at 50 matches, and the French Open crown was her fourth at this tournament. The defeat also continued India’s wait for a women’s singles champion at the French Open: Popat remains the last Indian woman to win the title, in 1998, while Saina Nehwal finished second in 2012.
- Final score: An Se Young beat PV Sindhu 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 in the French Open 2026 women’s singles final in Paris.
- Sindhu’s road to the final included a semi-final win over Japan’s Hina Akechi, 21-10, 20-22, 21-16.
- An Se Young won her fourth French Open title; Sindhu’s head-to-head record against her is now 0-11.
- Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion, won the Japan Open in July 2026.
A Wider Indian Sporting Weekend
Sindhu’s silver came on a busy weekend for Indian sport. India also continued its strong run in cricket, as covered in India’s landmark T20I win over New Zealand in Christchurch, while on the other side of the sporting world, the Seattle Seahawks stunned the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday night football. Sindhu’s final belonged in that company: a reminder that Indian athletes are competing for major titles across very different stages in the same weekend.
For Sindhu, the immediate question is whether she can turn a final appearance into a title. The opening game in Paris showed the level she can reach; the second and third games showed how quickly An Se Young can punish errors and seize control. Closing that gap, rather than reaching finals, is now the challenge.
What to Watch Next
What to watch next is whether Sindhu can build on her French Open run in the tournaments that follow, and whether she can finally take a win off An Se Young after 11 straight defeats. Her own assessment after the final points the same way: she was happy with the result, but she believes there is still plenty of room for improvement, and she is looking forward to what comes next. The next meetings between the two players will show whether the opening game in Paris was a one-off, or the start of a more even rivalry.