PV Sindhu may have fallen short of the French Open title, but the Indian shuttler believes there is plenty to take away from her three-game battle against world No. 1 An Se Young. Despite suffering another defeat against the South Korean, Sindhu is encouraged by her progress and insists there is still significant room for improvement.
On Sunday in Paris, Sindhu went down 21-16, 11-21, 12-21 in the women’s singles final of the French Open Super 750. She claimed the opening game and held an 8-5 lead in the decider before An Se Young turned the contest around. The result extended Sindhu’s head-to-head losing streak against the Olympic champion to 11 matches, yet the Indian produced one of her more competitive performances against the dominant force in women’s badminton.
A Competitive Start and a Familiar Outcome
Sindhu began the final with intensity and sharp court control. She took advantage of early errors from An Se Young and used her reach and attacking strokes to secure the first game 21-16. It marked only the second time in their 11 meetings that Sindhu had taken a game off the South Korean, the previous occasion coming at the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships.
The second game followed a tighter opening phase before An seized control. After the scores were level around 5-all, the world No. 1 pulled away and closed it out 21-11. Momentum shifted firmly in her favour. In the deciding game Sindhu again started brightly and moved ahead 8-5. An responded by winning the next sequence of points to lead 11-9 at the change of ends. From there the Korean’s consistency and defensive quality proved decisive, and she completed the victory 21-12.
Sindhu later identified that moment in the third game as pivotal. “Even in the third game, I felt I should have maintained my lead when I was ahead 8-5. Unfortunately, she turned it around to make it 11-9 before we changed ends. I think that was where I felt the difference was,” she said.
Positives and Areas for Growth
Despite the defeat, Sindhu struck a measured and forward-looking tone. “Definitely, there’s a lot of room to improve. I’m absolutely looking forward to playing much better badminton. I’m happy with how things are going, but I think there’s still a lot of scope for improvement, and I’m looking forward to it,” she remarked after the match.
She emphasised that she had fought for every point and was pleased to have won the opening game. At the same time she acknowledged that sustaining intensity against the very best players remains a challenge. Long rallies, in particular, offered opportunities that she felt she could have converted more effectively. Court conditions, including drift on one side, also played a part in some unforced errors, though she stressed that adapting to such factors is an essential part of competing at the highest level.
The runner-up finish represented Sindhu’s second Super 750 final of the 2026 season. She had claimed the Japan Open title in July, signalling a return to strong form after earlier challenges on the circuit. Reaching the final in Paris after a series of solid wins underlined that progress, even if the ultimate prize eluded her against the world’s top-ranked player.
An Se Young’s Continued Dominance
For An Se Young the victory added another chapter to an extraordinary season. The South Korean secured her fourth French Open title and her 11th title of 2026. She extended a lengthy winning streak and maintained her perfect record against Sindhu. Known for exceptional court coverage, defensive resilience and clinical finishing, An once again demonstrated why she sits atop the rankings and continues to set the standard in women’s singles.
The match statistics reflected the shift in control after the first game. While Sindhu contested the contest strongly overall, An won the majority of points and produced the longer runs of consecutive points when it mattered most.
Looking Ahead for the Indian Star
At 31, Sindhu continues to compete at the elite level of a sport that demands sustained physical and mental sharpness. Her ability to take a game off the world No. 1 and push the final into three games offers encouragement. The Japanese Open success earlier in the year and the run to the French Open final show that she remains capable of deep runs in major events.
The areas she has identified for improvement—maintaining leads, converting long rallies and sustaining peak intensity point after point—will likely form the focus of her upcoming training. Facing An Se Young repeatedly has provided a clear benchmark. Closing the gap against the Korean and other top players will require consistent refinement of both technical and tactical elements.
Sindhu’s post-match comments revealed a player who remains motivated rather than discouraged. She expressed satisfaction with the direction of her game while recognising that further progress is both possible and necessary. For Indian badminton fans, the performance in Paris served as a reminder of her enduring competitiveness and the standards she continues to chase.
The French Open final of 2026 will be remembered as another hard-fought encounter between two contrasting styles: Sindhu’s aggressive reach and attacking intent against An Se Young’s relentless consistency and recovery ability. While the South Korean once again prevailed, Sindhu left the court with tangible positives and a clear sense of the work still required. In a career already filled with Olympic medals and major titles, that determination to keep improving remains one of her defining qualities.
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