French Open Shock: Asmita Chaliha Stuns World No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi
India's Asmita Chaliha secures a career-best win by defeating world No 2 Akane Yamaguchi in straight games at the French Open 2026.
In a result that has sent shockwaves through the badminton world, India's Asmita Chaliha beats Akane Yamaguchi in one of the most unexpected upsets of the French Open 2026. The 27-year-old Indian shuttler, currently ranked 36th in the world, delivered a masterclass in composure and resilience to dismantle the three-time world champion and world No. 2 in straight games.
A Clinical Performance in Paris
The match, which lasted just 37 minutes, saw Chaliha playing the game of her life. She secured a stunning 21-19, 21-18 victory, marking the biggest win of her professional career. The victory is particularly sweet as it comes against an opponent who had defeated her in straight games just a week prior at the Denmark Open.
The First Game: A Battle of Nerves
The opening game was a high-tension affair. Chaliha started aggressively, establishing a commanding 18-14 lead. However, the experience of Yamaguchi showed as the Japanese star fought back fiercely to level the score at 18-18. As the tension peaked with the score tied at 19-19, Chaliha refused to blink, holding her nerve to snatch the first game 21-19.
The Second Game: Dominance and Defense
While the first game was a nail-biter, the second game saw Chaliha take more control. After an initial deadlock at 7-7, the Indian shuttler began to pull away. Her relentless defensive play and incredible ability to retrieve difficult shots put immense pressure on Yamaguchi, forcing the world No. 2 into a series of costly unforced errors. Chaliha closed out the match 21-18, completing a historic straight-games victory.
Road to the Quarter-Finals
This triumph follows a breakthrough year for Chaliha, who had already claimed her first BWF World Tour title at the Korea Masters Super 300 earlier this season. She now advances to the quarter-finals, where she will face a formidable opponent—either Thailand's world No. 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong or Japan's Olympic medallist and former world champion Nozomi Okuhara.
PV Sindhu Also Advances
It wasn't the only positive result for India at the BWF Super 750 tournament. Veteran star PV Sindhu also secured her spot in the last eight. Sindhu cruised through her match against Japan's Riko Gunji, winning 21-12, 21-16 in a clinical 44-minute encounter.
Yamaguchi entered this tournament as one of the heavy favorites, having recently finished as the runner-up at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, where she lost to South Korea’s An Se Young.