PV Sindhu loses to An Se Young for 11th time after spirited French Open fight

PV Sindhu came within touching distance of a landmark win against An Se Young, taking the opening game before the South Korean turned the French Open 2026 final around to win 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 on Sunday. Sindhu could not finish the job, but she made the world No. 1 work for the title in a contest that was far closer than many of their previous meetings.The defeat extended An's perfect head-to-head record against Sindhu to 11 wins in 11 meetings. Before Sunday, the Indian had taken just one game off the South Korean in their first 10 encounters, at the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships. This time, Sindhu went a step further by winning the opening game and briefly putting An on the back foot in the decider.PV Sindhu vs An Se Young, French Open 2026 Final: HIGHLIGHTSSindhu had arrived in Paris hoping to add a second title to her season, following her Japan Open triumph in July. She had battled through a demanding three-game semi-final against Japan's Hina Akechi, winning 21-10, 20-22, 21-16. An, however, was a different proposition. The South Korean came into the final on a 49-match winning streak and had not dropped a game throughout the tournament. SINDHU GOT A RARE FIRST PUNCHSindhu did not simply try to match An in long rallies. She took the shuttle early, kept her returns tight to the net and forced the South Korean to move forward instead of settling into her usual rhythm from the back of the court. When An played a loose return, Sindhu was ready to attack. Sharp cross-court shots added to the pressure, and the Indian looked comfortable taking the initiative.It was enough to earn Sindhu the opening game 21-16, her first game win against An since 2023. For once, it was the world No. 1 who had to find a way back into the contest. An began to work out the problem in the second game. Sindhu's net play continued to trouble her early on, but the South Korean started reading the shorter returns better and using them to set up her next shot. A 30-shot rally captured the intensity of the contest, with both players stretching to keep the shuttle alive before Sindhu was unable to recover for the next return.How on earth did that come back? Follow live action: https://t.co/TjoFnU4PnB @HSBC_Sport #BWFWorldTour #FrenchOpen2026 https://t.co/B58vMJLIfJ— BWF (@bwfmedia) October 25, 2026An took the game 21-11, though Sindhu made her earn it. The Indian saved three game points with some excellent returns before a misjudged final shot handed the South Korean the game. The momentum had shifted, and An was beginning to turn Sindhu's biggest strength at the net into an opportunity of her own.AN SE YONG'S 2ND GEAR CLOSED SINDHUSindhu came out swinging in the decider and opened up a 8-5 lead, moving well across the court and refusing to let An take control too early. But the South Korean kept chipping away, pushing Sindhu deeper and making her cover more ground. As the rallies continued, Sindhu had less time to recover and struggled to maintain the same sharpness she had shown at the start.An's mix of delicate net shots and powerful smashes began to tell. She found better angles, moved Sindhu around the court and made it increasingly difficult for the Indian to turn defence into attack. From 5-8 down, An seized control and pulled away to win the decider 21-12, celebrating her third consecutive French Open title.Both players contested 102 points, but An won 58 to Sindhu's 44. The South Korean also put together the longest run of consecutive points in the match, seven to Sindhu's four.The result was another defeat for Sindhu against An, but it was not a repeat of their usual pattern. Sindhu had found a way to unsettle the world No. 1, taking the opening game and forcing her to adjust. In the end, An found another gear when it mattered most.- Ends