"We could have beaten An Se-young" — India's hopes shattered! Comeback victory 2-1 → Third consecutive French Open title, 10th win of the season, and a 50-match winning streak achieved... Opponent ultimately conceded: "Overwhelming skill that is hard to handle"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

'Queen of Badminton' An Se-young (24, Samsung Life) shattered India's hopes and once again stood atop the podium. She secured a thrilling comeback victory despite dropping the first game.

World No. 1 An Se-young defeated World No. 11 P.V. Sindhu (India) in straight games with a score of 2-1 (16-21, 21-11, 21-12) in the women's singles final of the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour French Open (Super 750), held in Paris, France, on the 25th (Korean time).

With this victory, An Se-young has achieved a third consecutive title at the French Open, following her wins in 2024 and 2025. Including her 2019 championship, this marks her fourth overall title at the tournament.

Record-breaking achievements also piled up. An Se-young captured her fifth consecutive tournament victory by winning the French Open after dominating the recent World Championships, China Masters, 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, and Denmark Open. This is already her 10th title of the season.

She also recorded her 48th career win in international women's singles events, setting a new record for the most titles in history, surpassing her own previous mark.

Most notably, An Se-young's dominance is formidable. She has posted an impressive 66 wins and one loss in 67 matches this year, boasting a winning percentage of 98.5%. Since her defeat in the All England Open final in March, she has been on a staggering 50-match winning streak. She also extended her head-to-head record against Sindhu to an undefeated 11-0.

Indian local media outlet India Today also took note of An Se-young's overwhelming skill.

The outlet reported before the match, "Sindhu does not have a favorable head-to-head record. She has never won in her 10 previous encounters against An Se-young," while adding, "However, we hold onto hope."

Indeed, Sindhu pressured An Se-young strongly from the very first game. An Se-young struggled against Sindhu's attacks in the early stages of Game 1. Sindhu unsettled An Se-young with aggressive plays utilizing her height and active play at the net. An Se-young faced the interval trailing 9-11 and found it difficult to close the gap thereafter. Ultimately, Sindhu took the first game 21-16.

India Today also expressed expectations for Sindhu's strong performance. The outlet assessed, "Sindhu took the lead first. An Se-young did not display her usual quick movements, and Sindhu did not miss the opportunity to capitalize on this."

It further noted, "Sindhu has won a game against An Se-young for the first time since 2023. Is something special beginning in Paris?" highlighting the possibility of an upset.

However, World No. 1 An Se-young did not crumble easily. The flow of the match changed completely from Game 2. An Se-young ran away to lead 11-7 with consecutive points, including a successful veteran attack from an 8-7 situation. She continued her fierce offensive, widening the score gap to 18-8.

Ultimately, An Se-young took the second game 21-11, leveling the match.

Indian media also paid attention to the change in An Se-young's performance.

India Today analyzed, "Sindhu relied heavily on a tactic of placing the shuttlecock close to the net, but World No. 1 An Se-young read that tactic well," adding, "That tactic cannot keep troubling An Se-young forever. Eventually, the Korean player found a breakthrough."

A fierce battle continued in the final third game as well. Sindhu led 3-1, raising the possibility of victory again, but An Se-young pursued tenaciously. The two players engaged in a tight contest until reaching 8-8.

However, An Se-young's concentration shone at the crucial moment. An Se-young took the lead 11-9 and then widened the gap to 15-9 to seize control of the match. She ultimately closed out the final game 21-12, completing her comeback victory.

India Today marveled, "An Se-young elevated her level of play by a notch at the most critical moments."

In contrast, regarding Sindhu, it pointed out that she "could no longer properly reproduce the speed and movement shown in the early stages of the match."

Ultimately, Indian media had no choice but to acknowledge An Se-young's skill.

India Today assessed, "This will be a bitter defeat for Sindhu. An Se-young turned the match around after dropping the first game and dominated the latter half of the final game to claim the title."

It further conceded, "Sindhu fought fiercely to reach a position where she could win, but the Korean player's outstanding skill was too much to handle."

Meanwhile, An Se-young is scheduled to return home through Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 27th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original