English
English
English
PV Sindhu survives a dramatic final-game fightback to book her place in the French Open 2026 second round. (Img: X)
Tremblay-en-France: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu battled through a dramatic final-game collapse to defeat Thailand’s Supanida Katethong and enter the second round of the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament on Wednesday.
The Indian secured a hard-fought 21-14, 8-21, 23-21 victory in a contest lasting 64 minutes. What appeared to be a comfortable passage to the next round nearly turned into an early exit after Sindhu squandered a commanding 19-8 advantage in the deciding game.
Katethong seized the opportunity to win 11 consecutive points, drawing level at 19-19 and putting the Indian under immense pressure. Sindhu, however, recovered her composure at a critical juncture, rediscovered her attacking instincts and eventually closed out the match 23-21.
The result allowed Sindhu to overcome a potentially costly lapse in concentration and keep her campaign alive at the prestigious tournament in France.
Sindhu began the encounter on a positive note, using her power and attacking strokes to take the opening game 21-14. Katethong, however, responded emphatically in the second game, dominating the rallies and restricting the Indian to just eight points to level the contest with a 21-8 win.
The decider initially appeared to be firmly in Sindhu’s control. She built a substantial lead and seemed poised to complete the victory without further complications. However, a sudden dip in her intensity allowed the Thai shuttler to claw her way back into contention.
As Katethong drew level at 19-19, the pressure shifted decisively onto Sindhu. The Indian responded with an aggressive approach, relying on her trademark smashes and offensive play to regain the advantage.
With the contest finely balanced in the closing stages, Sindhu had to remain composed and take the initiative rather than allow her opponent to dictate the rallies. She ultimately prevailed 23-21 to seal a hard-earned victory.
Reflecting on the tense finish, Sindhu said she consciously tried to put the lost points behind her and concentrate on the next rally rather than allow the setback to affect her game further.
Katethong, a left-handed player whose angles have troubled Sindhu in the past, once again demonstrated her ability to make the Indian work for every point. Her resurgence in the deciding game exposed Sindhu’s difficulty in converting a sizeable lead into a straightforward finish.
Sindhu, nevertheless, drew on her experience to negotiate the closing exchanges. The victory underlined the importance of maintaining an attacking mindset during pressure situations, particularly when an opponent begins to gain momentum.
The Indian acknowledged that she had made the match more difficult than necessary but was relieved to have come through the contest. Her immediate challenge will be to improve her consistency and avoid similar lapses as the competition progresses.
Sindhu will next take on Japan’s Riko Gunji, the world No. 19, in the second round. Gunji advanced after defeating India’s Unnati Hooda 21-18, 12-21, 21-17 in a three-game encounter. Hooda mounted a late challenge in the deciding game but could not overturn the deficit, bringing her French Open campaign to an end.
Another Indian, Devika Sihag, also missed out on progression after losing a closely contested match against Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani. Despite taking control during the deciding game, Sihag was unable to close out the contest, eventually going down 20-22 in the final game.
Sindhu’s victory therefore provided a positive result for India in a challenging round for the country’s women’s singles contingent. She will now look to build on the win against Gunji and make a deeper run at the Super 750 event.
