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SportsBadminton

Sindhu sweeps past Chiu into French Open semi-finals as Ashmita falls to Okuhara

P V Sindhu needed only 39 minutes to reach the last four in Paris, where she meets Japan's Hina Akechi on Saturday. Ashmita Chaliha's run ended in three games.

From the editorial desk · ParisPublished
Japan's Hina Akechi, Sindhu's semi-final opponent (file photo)
Japan's Hina Akechi, Sindhu's semi-final opponent (file photo)Photo: Tony2803.tw / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Key points

  1. Sindhu beat Chinese Taipei's Chiu Pin-chian 21-13, 21-14 in 39 minutes at Arena Grand Paris.
  2. She plays Japan's Hina Akechi in Saturday's semi-finals after Akechi beat Putri Kusuma Wardani.
  3. Ashmita Chaliha lost to Nozomi Okuhara 10-21, 21-17, 16-21 in 59 minutes.

P V Sindhu is into the semi-finals of the French Open after a performance of real authority in Paris on Friday. The Indian beat Chiu Pin-chian of Chinese Taipei 21-13, 21-14 in 39 minutes at Arena Grand Paris, and will play Japan’s Hina Akechi for a place in the final.

India’s other quarter-finalist could not follow her. Ashmita Chaliha, a day after the biggest win of her career, went down in three games to Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara, 10-21, 21-17, 16-21.

That leaves Sindhu as India’s last player standing at the Super 750 event.

Never in danger

Sindhu, ranked 11th in the world, controlled the match from the start. She led 11-5 at the first interval and pulled away to take the opening game, then went to the break in the second leading 11-2. Chiu found a few points late on, but there was no way back for her.

It was Sindhu’s second win over Chiu, after their round-of-32 meeting at the Asian Games last month, and it took her to her fourth semi-final on the BWF World Tour this year. In Paris she has now dropped no games since the first round: on Thursday she beat Japan’s Riko Gunji 21-12, 21-16.

Akechi waits

Her opponent on Saturday, Akechi, earned her place by beating Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani 21-17, 21-18. Putri said afterwards that the Japanese player had been very tidy, safe and accurate, and admitted she had been run all over the court in the second game.

Ashmita’s fightback falls short

Ashmita had come into Friday on a high after knocking out Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-19, 21-18 on Thursday. Against Okuhara she was blown away in the first game, trailing 11-6 at the interval and losing it 10-21.

She hit back in the second, leading 11-5 at the break and holding on to level the match at 21-17. The decider was tight to the interval, with Okuhara ahead 11-9, but the Japanese player pulled clear to close it out 21-16 after 59 minutes.

It was Okuhara’s first win over Ashmita in international badminton. Their only previous meeting, at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships, went to the Indian 21-17, 21-14.

Even so, Ashmita leaves Paris with plenty to build on. The Yamaguchi win was the best of her career.

What comes next

Sindhu and Akechi meet in Saturday’s semi-finals in Paris, with the winner going through to the final.

The documents