“Tomorrow is a Different Day”: PV Sindhu Looks To Settle Score Against An Se Young After Winning 73 Minute Battle against Akechi

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu booked her place in the French Open final with a hard-fought 21-10, 20-22, 21-16 victory over Japan's Hina Akechi in a 73-minute semifinal at the Arena Grand Paris on Saturday. After surrendering a commanding position in the second game, the Indian shuttler showed composure under pressure to close out the decider and move within one win of another major title.

"I'm happy, but it's not done yet. There's one more to go," Sindhu said after the match. "I'm a little bit happy that I could pull off the match and play the final, but the job is not done yet. I need to go back and focus for one more match."

Sindhu made a confident start, racing through the opening game 21-10 as Akechi struggled to settle into her first meeting with the Indian. The early exchanges offered few extended rallies, but the contest grew considerably tighter as the Japanese player found her rhythm.

The second game proved to be a test of Sindhu's patience. With Akechi maintaining the pressure, the Indian fought her way back into contention and drew level at 18-18. The game remained finely balanced at 20-20, but Akechi held her nerve to take it 22-20 and force a decider.

"I think in the second game I should have converted that," Sindhu said. "But I was still positive because even though I was trailing, I came back and made it 18-all. From there, I think it was anybody's game."

However, the deciding game brought another shift in momentum. Sindhu initially edged ahead, but Akechi refused to let the contest slip away. Even after the Indian had built a five-point cushion at 14-9, the Japanese shuttler fought back to level the score at 14-14 and briefly moved ahead 16-15.

Sindhu, however, responded emphatically. She tightened her game, avoided giving away easy points and reeled off six consecutive points to seal the match 21-16.

"The third game was very important for me to start off with a positive note," she said. "Even when I was leading 14-9, I kept thinking that it wasn't over because I've had matches where I was leading and then my opponent came back."

She added that Akechi's resilience made it essential to remain focused until the final point. "It's not over until it's over, so I kept fighting for every point," Sindhu said.

Comeback Built on Patience & Smarter Preparation

The victory marks Sindhu's second BWF World Tour Super 750 final of the season, following her title-winning campaign at the Japan Open in July. It also represents a significant step forward after an extended period in which injuries and inconsistent results kept her away from the latter stages of tournaments.

Reflecting on the difficult stretch of the past 18 months, Sindhu said rebuilding her support team and understanding her physical and mental condition had been crucial to her return to form.

"There have been a lot of ups and downs, and it's been a rough run for almost one and a half years," she said. "It was very important for me to understand, go back and start from scratch."

Sindhu, who has been working with coach Irvansha for nearly two years, said changes to her support structure had helped her approach training and recovery more effectively. Her team now includes sports science specialist Wayne Lombard, physiotherapist Hira, along with Irvansha and Shreyasi.

The emphasis, she explained, has been on understanding her body's condition and adapting her workload accordingly, rather than simply training harder.

"Working with the team, it was important to understand where we are physically and mentally, and accordingly work smartly," Sindhu said. "Instead of just doing the hard work, I would say we are going about it in a very smart way."

Sindhu Ready To Settle Scores With An Se Young

Standing between Sindhu and the French Open title is World No. 1 and reigning world champion An Se Young of South Korea, who has been in formidable form. Sunday's final will be their 11th meeting on the circuit and their third encounter this year.

Sindhu has yet to defeat An Se Young, making the final another significant challenge as she looks to translate her recent resurgence into a statement victory.

The Indian, however, is focused on the opportunity rather than the history between them.

"I have to give her a good fight, a tough fight. Every point matters," Sindhu said. "I know we've played a lot of times, and she's been doing really well. She's been at her top form."

Sindhu believes the final will offer a fresh opportunity, regardless of previous results.

"Tomorrow is a different day. Every day is a new day. I just have to go out there and give my best," she said. "The rest just depends on that particular day. So, yeah, I'm ready to give a fight."

After navigating a tense semifinal and demonstrating renewed resilience, Sindhu will now look to complete her French Open campaign with a performance that could further underline her return to the top tier of women's badminton.