NEW DELHI: The stage at the $950,000 French Open final was set for a classic clash of resilience against relentless supremacy.
For PV Sindhu, this was her second final of the year, carrying the momentum of her triumphant Japan Open victory in July. But standing across the net was an adversary who has become the ultimate benchmark in women’s singles badminton — South Korean An Se Young.
The numbers painted a daunting picture. This was their 11th meeting, third of the year, with the South Korean superstar holding a spotless 10-0 record against the Indian. In their previous 21 games, Sindhu had managed to capture just a single game.
She won another as Sindhu, against the odds, took the first game. But normalcy resumed thereafter in the summit clash of the Super 750 tournament.
After an exhausting hour and one minute of breathtaking rallies, Sindhu fell 21-16, 11-21, 12-21 on the main court of Arena Grand Paris, marking her 11th consecutive defeat against the top seed and world No.1. An secured her fourth French Open title and her third on the trot, further cementing her legendary status.
The reigning Olympic and world champion clinched her 10th title of the year out of 11 finals, with her only blemish in the entire year being a narrow loss to China’s Wang Zhi Yi at the All England Open final in March.
Sindhu stormed out of the blocks, claiming the opening two points with an assertive statement of intent. Cheered on by Irwansyah from the coach’s chair, the two-time Olympic medallist began deploying her weapons. She utilised her towering reach, executing stinging smashes, exhibiting brilliant net play with delicate wristwork to outsmart the world’s best.
Though An fought back with effortless retrieval, Sindhu’s calculated aggression forced uncharacteristic errors from the usually error-free Korean. Backed by solid retrieving and sharp tactical execution, Sindhu edged ahead to an 11-9 mid-game lead.
An responded with trademark brilliance, levelling the score at 11-all using sublime sliced drops at the net. But Sindhu was matching her shot for shot, brilliantly reading the trajectory of An’s returns.
Capitalising on a flurry of uncharacteristic errors from her opponent and picking up drop shots with lightning reflexes, Sindhu surged ahead to 15-11. A mix of misjudgments and deep baseline shots from An widened the gap to 19-14, soon stretching to 20-14. With a solid disguise and a clinical kill, Sindhu converted her third game point, sealing the first game to surprise the arena.
The change of ends immediately altered the dynamics, with the drift shifting heavily in An’s favour. Despite playing a gruelling calendar and reaching more finals than anyone else on the circuit, signs of fatigue in the Korean superstar were momentarily visible.
However, champions of An’s calibre find an extra gear when cornered. Unleashing an unbelievable barrage of pinpoint drop shots to which Sindhu had no answer, An clawed her way to an 11-7 lead at the mid-game interval.
The momentum firmly belonged to the world No.1. Pushing the rallies and closing in at the net more frequently, An elevated the match into a display of extraordinary shots.
Sindhu was forced to stretch to her absolute limits against arguably the greatest opponent she has ever faced. Cruising with a 13-7 lead, An showcased her incredible, unbeatable self, securing 11 game points very soon. Though Sindhu saved three, An converted the fourth to force the decisive third game.
The final act began with Sindhu seizing the better side of the court, navigating a strong sideways breeze blowing from right to left. Showing immense stamina, Sindhu did the lion’s share of the running to sustain long rallies. Aggressive attacking play propelled her to an 8-5 lead.
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For a brief moment, an upset hung in the balance. But An’s extraordinary range of strokes dismantled that game plan. After levelling the contest at 9-all, the match slipped rapidly away from the Indian.
The reigning world champion orchestrated a masterclass in high-quality shot-making, reeling off points in quick succession to lead 11-9 at the interval.
As the points mounted against her, frustration became visibly etched on Sindhu’s face, leading to a fresh wave of uncharacteristic errors under the relentless pressure. An earned eight championship points. True to form, she seized the very first opportunity.