India’s two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu booked her place in the final of the French Open after defeating Japan’s Hina Akechi in a hard-fought three-game semi-final on Saturday.
The Indian shuttler displayed remarkable composure to register a 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 victory in a contest that lasted one hour and 13 minutes.
The win takes Sindhu into her second BWF Super 750 final of the year. She previously clinched the Japan Open Super 750 title in July and will now look to add another major trophy to her collection.
The 31-year-old Indian will face South Korea’s world No. 1 An Se Young in the final. Sindhu knows she faces a formidable opponent but is determined to give her best in the title clash.
PV Sindhu vs Hina Akechi: Indian Shuttler holds her nerve
Sindhu started the semi-final confidently, although Akechi initially matched her shot for shot. The pair were level at 4-4 and later 8-8 before the Indian moved ahead to take an 11-9 lead at the interval.
After the break, Sindhu raised her intensity and took control of the game. She won 11 of the final 12 points to close out the opening game 21-10 in just 18 minutes.
Akechi, ranked world No. 22, responded strongly in the second game. The Japanese shuttler used deceptive shots and solid defence to challenge Sindhu, who had to work hard to stay in contention.
The Indian trailed by four points at one stage but fought back to level the score at 7-7. Her cross-court attacks produced crucial winners as the contest remained closely fought.
Sindhu continued to battle and drew level at 16-16 before moving ahead with a deceptive return. However, Akechi refused to give in. Sindhu saved a game point at 20-20, but the Japanese player created another opportunity and converted it after the Indian hit wide, taking the game 22-20.
PV Sindhu wins decider to reach French Open final
With the match level at one game apiece, Sindhu needed a strong response in the deciding game. She made an encouraging start to lead 5-3, but Akechi fought back to move ahead 6-5.
The Indian regained control and carried a two-point advantage into the interval. However, Akechi continued to threaten with accurate net play and attacking shots.
Sindhu briefly extended her lead with a cross-court return and a quality net shot, only for Akechi to draw level at 15-15 with a combination of precise net play and a smash.
A crucial 38-shot rally then proved to be a turning point. Akechi made a net error at the end of the exhausting exchange, allowing Sindhu to move ahead 18-16.
The Indian capitalised on the opening, producing another fine net shot before earning four match points when Akechi hit wide. Sindhu eventually sealed the match with a cross-court smash, completing a memorable 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 victory.
PV Sindhu ready for an Se Young challenge in final
Sindhu will now face South Korea’s An Se Young, the reigning world No. 1, in the French Open final. The Indian acknowledged the challenge ahead and stressed that every point would be important against an opponent who has been performing consistently well.
‘I have to give her a good fight, a tough fight. Every point matters. We’ve played a lot of times and she’s been doing really well,’ Sindhu said.
‘She’s been at her top form, but I think tomorrow is a different day. I just have to just go out there and give my best.’
Sindhu was pleased to reach another final but made it clear that her work was not finished.
‘I am a little bit happy that I could pull off the match and play the finals, but I think the job is not done yet and I think I need to go back and focus for one more match,’ she said.
PV Sindhu credits new support team for her comeback
Sindhu has enjoyed encouraging results this year, including her Japan Open title in July. She has also remained competitive at major events, although she came close to winning medals at the New Delhi World Championships and the Asian Games.
The former world champion said changes to her support team and a more thoughtful training approach have helped her move beyond a difficult period marked by injuries and inconsistent performances.
Sindhu explained that the past 18 months had involved several challenges, making it important to reassess her physical and mental condition and rebuild her training programme.
She has continued working with Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, alongside a refreshed support team involving sports science, physiotherapy and fitness training.
Wayne Lombard is overseeing her sports science work, while Hira is handling physiotherapy. Shreyasi is also part of the support setup.
According to Sindhu, understanding her body’s condition and training more intelligently have been key to her improved performances.
Rather than relying only on the volume of training, she and her team have focused on working smarter and addressing her individual needs. That approach appears to be paying off, with the Indian now preparing for another opportunity to win a major international title.
A victory over An Se Young would provide another significant highlight in Sindhu’s season and further underline her return to form on the international badminton circuit.