Indian badminton star PV Sindhu delivered a masterclass in control and aggression, cruising into the semifinals of the French Open Super 750 with a clinical straight-game victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-Chian on October 23.
Sindhu, who is chasing her second BWF World Tour title of the season following her Japan Open triumph earlier this year, completely dominated the match. Displaying her trademark fierce attacking calibre, blistering round-the-head smashes, and a rock-solid defence, the two-time Olympic medallist dispatched Chiu 21-13, 21-14 to keep her quest for a maiden French Open title alive.
A Campaign Built on Grit
Sindhu’s journey to the final four has tested both her tactical acumen and mental fortitude. In the Round of 32, she survived a major scare against Thailand’s Supanida Katethong. After cruising through a comfortable opening, Sindhu squandered a commanding 19-8 lead in the decider as Katethong staged a sensational comeback to level at 20-20. Breaking her recent pattern of closing-stage jitters, Sindhu held her nerve to clinch a tense 23-21 thriller. She followed that up with a much smoother straight-games win (21-12, 21-16) against Japan’s Riko Gunji in the Round of 16.
With her latest victory, Sindhu stands as the last remaining Indian contender in the tournament. In the semifinals, she will square off against the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani and Japan’s Hina Aakechi. Should she advance to the title clash, a potential blockbuster final against World No. 1 An Se Young—who faces Nozomi Okuhara in the opposite half—could await.
Chaliha’s Valiant Campaign Concludes
While Sindhu marched forward, compatriot Ashmita Chaliha saw her fairytale run in Paris come to an end. Chaliha had sent shockwaves through the tournament earlier by stunning World No. 2 and three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi in a brilliant straight-games victory (21-19, 21-18).
In the quarterfinals, Chaliha pushed former world champion Nozomi Okuhara to the absolute limit before bowing out 10-21, 21-17, 16-21. Despite the loss, Chaliha leaves Paris with her head held high after a stellar performance that turned heads on the global stage.
