India’s PV Sindhu finished runner-up at the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament after losing to world No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea in a three-game women’s singles final on Sunday in Paris. The two-time Olympic medallist went down 21-16, 11-21, 12-21 to the reigning Olympic champion, who secured her fourth French Open title.
The 31-year-old Indian made an impressive start, using her reach, attacking strokes and deceptive net play to trouble her opponent. Sindhu claimed the opening game 21-16 in 20 minutes, raising hopes of an upset against the tournament’s top seed.
What happened
The final was played at the Arena Grand Paris and lasted just over an hour. Sindhu, ranked 11th in the world and a former world champion, was aiming to claim her seventh BWF World Tour title and second of the season after winning the Japan Open in July, her first title since December 2024.
She started strongly, matching An Se Young in the early exchanges before gradually gaining the upper hand after the score was tied at 11-all, using her reach and court awareness to pressure the top seed. It was only the second time Sindhu had managed to take a game off An Se Young in their 11 meetings, the first being in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships.
However, Young responded strongly in the second game, improving her control of the rallies and capitalising on Sindhu’s errors to establish a commanding lead. Young led 11-7 at the interval and won the game 21-11 to level the contest and force a decider. The second game also featured a demanding 30-shot rally, which underlined the physical intensity of the contest. Sindhu saved three game points, but a misplaced final shot allowed Young to close the game.
Sindhu continued to fight in the final game, building an early 8-5 advantage through sharp returns and aggressive play. Young gradually recovered, drawing level at 8-8 before taking control with powerful smashes and precise placement. Young won six consecutive points to open up a 15-9 lead and maintained her advantage to close out the game 21-12 and seal the title.
After the match, Sindhu said competing against top players requires giving 100 per cent on every point and fighting hard throughout the match. She said she fought for every point, was happy to win the first game, and that in the third game she should have maintained her lead from 8-5, but Young converted that into an advantage, and that was where she felt the difference was. She added that there were a lot of positives to take from the match, and going forward she needs to work on them.
Why it matters
This was Sindhu’s maiden French Open final, and she entered the summit clash after defeating Japan’s Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in the semi-final. Despite the loss, her campaign offered encouragement as she showed she can still challenge the world’s leading players, even as the title continued to elude her.
The defeat extended Sindhu’s losing record against Young to 11 matches, with the Indian yet to register a victory over the South Korean. Young had arrived at the final on a 49-match winning streak and had progressed through the tournament without dropping a game, which makes Sindhu’s first-game win, and her early lead in the decider, more significant than the final scoreline alone suggests.
Sindhu was also seeking to become the first Indian woman since Aparna Popat in 1998 to win the French Open singles title. That wait continues. Saina Nehwal finished second in 2012, and Sindhu’s runner-up finish continues India’s wait for a women’s singles champion at the French Open.
For Sindhu, the positives are clear: a first French Open final, a game taken off the world No. 1 for only the second time in 11 meetings, and a performance that showed her reach, net play and attacking game can still trouble the best player in the world. The negatives are also clear: a lead in the decider that slipped away, and a second game where Young took control after the early exchanges.
What happens next
Sindhu’s next task will be to turn a fighting final into a winning one. That will mean holding a lead in a decider, as she had at 8-5 on Sunday, and finding a way to stop Young from taking control of rallies when the Korean improves her reading of shorter returns, as she did in the second game.
For Young, the French Open title adds to a dominant season and a fourth title at this tournament. For Sindhu, the French Open run, following her Japan Open title in July, suggests she is still capable of reaching finals at the highest level, even if the final step against the world No. 1 remains the hardest one.
Score summary
Final, French Open Super 750, women’s singles, Arena Grand Paris, Paris, Sunday:
PV Sindhu lost to An Se Young 21-16, 11-21, 12-21.
Game 1: Sindhu won 21-16 in 20 minutes.
Game 2: Young won 21-11, after leading 11-7 at the interval.
Game 3: Sindhu led 8-5, Young won six consecutive points to lead 15-9, Young won 21-12.
Semi-final: Sindhu beat Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16.
Head to head: Young leads 11-0. Sindhu has taken a game off Young only twice in those 11 meetings.
Timeline
July 2026: Sindhu wins the Japan Open, her first title since December 2024.
Semi-final, French Open: Sindhu beats Japan’s Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 to reach her maiden French Open final.
Final, game 1: Sindhu wins 21-16 in 20 minutes, her second game taken off Young in 11 meetings.
Final, game 2: Young leads 11-7 at the interval, wins 21-11 to level the match.
Final, game 3: Sindhu leads 8-5, Young draws level at 8-8, wins six consecutive points to lead 15-9, wins 21-12 to seal the title.
Result: Sindhu finishes runner-up, Young wins her fourth French Open title.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the French Open women’s singles final in 2026? World No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea beat India’s PV Sindhu in the final in Paris.
What was the score? Sindhu won the first game 21-16, then lost the second 11-21 and the decider 12-21.
Was this Sindhu’s first French Open final? Yes, this was her maiden French Open final, reached after beating Japan’s Hina Akechi in the semi-final.
What is Sindhu’s record against An Se Young? Sindhu has yet to beat Young in 11 meetings, and has taken a game off her only twice, the first time in the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships quarter-finals.
Who was the last Indian woman to win the French Open singles title? Aparna Popat in 1998. Saina Nehwal finished second in 2012.
What did Sindhu win before the French Open? She won the Japan Open in July 2026, her first title since December 2024, and was aiming for her seventh BWF World Tour title in Paris.
For the latest on this story and other major sports news, see the Sports section. For another Indian sporting milestone this week, see India’s 200th T20I win in Christchurch.