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Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu advanced to the final of the French Open after defeating Japans Hina Akechi 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 in a one-hour-and-13-minute semifinal at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday.
Sindhu started strongly, comfortably taking the opening game 21-10. However, Akechi held the lead through the latter half of the second game, with Sindhu briefly moving ahead at 16-all and holding it for the next two points, but the Japanese shuttler managed to level the game to force a decider. This marks Sindhus second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the season, following her title-winning run at the Japan Open in July. Sindhu will face World No. 1 and reigning world champion An Se Young in Sundays final. The match will be their 11th meeting on the circuit and their third encounter this year. A win would mark Sindhus first victory over the South Korean, as per a press release from the Badminton Association of India (BAI). Looking ahead to the final against An Se Young, Sindhu said, I have to give her a good fight, a tough fight. Every point matters. I know we've played a lot of times and she's been doing really well. She's been at her top form. But I think tomorrow is a different day. Every day is a new day. I just have to go out there and give my best. Rest just decides on that particular day. So yeah, I'm ready to give a fight. Sindhu made it to the semifinals by defeating Chinese Taipei's Chiu Pin-chian in straight games on Friday. The world No. 11 Indian shuttler defeated world No. 17 Chiu 21-13, 21-14 at the Arena Grand Paris in a quarter-final encounter that lasted 39 minutes, according to Olympics.com.Sindhu dominated proceedings from the outset, taking an 11-5 lead at the interval in the opening game before comfortably closing it out. She carried the momentum into the second game, racing to a 7-0 advantage and maintaining her control to seal the match. The victory marked Sindhu's second win over Chiu, having also defeated the Chinese Taipei shuttler at the Asian Games 2026 last month. (ANI)
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