India records 10 World Tour finals in a landmark season; the Indian ace goes down fighting against world No. 1 An Se Young

 

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 25, 2026

P.V. Sindhu signed off on a memorable campaign at the French Open 2026 with a fighting runner-up finish, even as her run to the women’s singles final helped India achieve its most successful season in the history of the BWF World Tour.

The double Olympic medallist went down 21-16, 11-21, 12-21 to world No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea in the final at the Arena Grand Paris on Sunday. The top-seeded Korean clinched her fourth French Open title after recovering from a spirited start by the Indian, who pushed her formidable opponent for 61 minutes.

Sindhu began with impressive intensity and sharp court control, refusing to be overawed by the world champion’s reputation. She capitalised on An’s early errors, drew level at 11-11 and then stepped up her attack to take the opening game 21-16. It was only the second time in their 11 career meetings that Sindhu had managed to take a game off the Korean.

An, however, responded with the consistency and defensive resilience that have made her one of the most formidable players on the circuit. After a closely fought opening phase in the second game, the Korean strung together a series of points to win 21-11 and force a decider.

The third game remained evenly poised until the players were locked at 9-9. An then raised her level, using her exceptional court coverage and ability to retrieve seemingly unreachable shots to seize control and close out the contest.

Reflecting on the challenge of facing the world’s leading players, Sindhu said, “When you're playing with the top athletes, you have to be at your 100% every single point. I know it's not going to be easy and you have to fight for every point. That's what we were doing.”

The Indian acknowledged that the extended rallies made it difficult to convert opportunities but remained upbeat about the experience and the lessons it offered.

The French Open was Sindhu’s second final at a BWF World Tour Super 750 event this season. She had won the Japan Open in July, underlining her ability to compete for major honours as she continues to build on her return to form.

 “I’m absolutely looking forward for much more better badminton from me. I’m happy with this, but I think there’s a lot of space, a lot of room still there. So I’m looking forward for it,” Sindhu said, signalling her determination to raise her game further.

While Sindhu narrowly missed out on the title, her campaign in Paris carried significance beyond the podium. Her appearance in the final marked the 10th time an Indian entry had reached the championship round of a BWF World Tour tournament at the Super 300 level or above outside India in 2026.

The achievement took India past its previous record of nine such finals, set in 2023, making the current season the most successful in the country’s history in terms of international World Tour final appearances.

The milestone reflects the growing competitiveness of Indian badminton across the international circuit. Sindhu’s latest run also adds another significant chapter to her distinguished career, demonstrating her continued capacity to challenge the sport’s elite.