PV Sindhu finishes runner-up at French Open 2026

PV Sindhu finished runner-up at the French Open 2026 after losing to South Korea’s An Se-young in the women’s singles final on Sunday. Sindhu took the opening game 21-16 but was unable to maintain her advantage as the world No. 1 won the next two games 21-11 and 21-12 to claim the title.

The defeat extended Sindhu’s losing record against An Se-young to 11 matches. Ranked world No. 9, had reached the final after a series of wins at the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament in Paris.

For An Se-young, the victory marked her third consecutive French Open title, further extending her run of success at the tournament.

PV Sindhu vs An Se-young French Open 2026 final

First game: PV Sindhu wins 21-16

Sindhu made a strong start to the final and took the opening game 21-16. The Indian used the early advantage to put pressure on the top-ranked Se-young and moved within a game of winning the championship.

Second game: An Se-young wins 21-11

An Se-young responded in the second game, improving her control of the rallies and restricting Sindhu’s scoring opportunities. Se-young won the game 21-11 to level the match and force a deciding game.

Third game: An Se-young wins 21-12

The world No. 1 carried her momentum into the decider. An Se-young won the third game 21-12 to complete the comeback and secure the championship. Sindhu was unable to recover the advantage she had established in the opening game.

The final score was PV Sindhu 21-16, 11-21, 12-21 An Se-young.

Sindhu advanced to the title match after winning four consecutive matches. She began with a three-game victory over Thailand’s Supanida Katethong, winning 21-14, 8-21, 23-21.

She then defeated Japan’s Riko Gunji 21-12, 21-16 in the second round and Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-chian 21-13, 21-14 in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals, Sindhu overcame Japan’s Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in a match lasting one hour and 13 minutes. The victory secured her place in the final, where she eventually finished second.

PV Sindhu is one of India’s most accomplished badminton players. She won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, and became the first Indian to win the BWF World Championships women’s singles title in 2019.

An Se-young is South Korea’s leading women’s singles player and was ranked world No. 1 ahead of the final. Known for her defensive consistency, court coverage and ability to sustain long rallies, she has established herself as one of the leading players in international badminton. Her victory in Paris gave her a third consecutive French Open title and extended her unbeaten record against Sindhu to 11 matches.

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