Ashmita Chaliha shocks world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi in Paris as PV Sindhu also reaches French Open quarters

Ashmita Chaliha upset world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi in Paris on Thursday to reach the women's singles quarter-finals of the French Open Super 750, beating Japan's third seed 21-19, 21-18 in 37 minutes. Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu joined her in the last eight with a 21-12, 21-16 victory over Japan's Riko Gunji in 44 minutes.

The result was the first time in more than four years that an Indian women's singles player had defeated a member of the world's top two, the previous occasion being PV Sindhu's win over Yamaguchi at the Thailand Open in May 2022. It also produced a rare Indian double in a Super 750 event: two Indian women in the quarter-finals for the first time since Saina Nehwal and Sindhu reached the last eight at the 2019 French Open. The 26-year-old Chaliha has recorded a breakthrough year on the world tour, having won her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Korea Masters Super 300 in August, where she beat China's Han Qian Xi 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in the final.

Unseeded in Paris, Chaliha held her nerve to close out a straight-games victory over Akane Yamaguchi, securing her first win against a top-five opponent. Her comeback from a knee injury sustained in Korea in 2024 has coincided with stronger results across the circuit, and the win in 37 minutes at the French Open took her into the tournament's last eight.

Sindhu produced a composed performance against Gunji to move into the quarter-finals, having earlier survived a gruelling opening-round match against Thailand's Supanida Katethong that finished 21-14, 8-21, 23-21. The former world champion controlled the match versus Gunji to book her place alongside Chaliha in the quarter-final stage.

India's other singles players had mixed outcomes: Tanvi Sharma lost 11-21, 14-21 to world No. 1 and top seed An Se Young of South Korea in 37 minutes, while Ayush Shetty retired from his men's singles second-round match against Japan's sixth seed Kodai Naraoka when trailing 17-21, 6-11 with an undisclosed injury.

"#FrenchOpen2026 Ashmita Chaliha defeats Akane Yamaguchi! Wow. I am quite sure that would go down as the biggest match win of Ashmita's career. In fact, the first time she has beaten a top-5 player as she takes down the newly promoted world No 2 Yamaguchi in straight games. It is difficult to make out from this video stream, but it is fairly evident Ashmita is emotional at the end there. Clearly means a lot to her as she registers another strong result in a year where she seems to have found the belief again. Akane quite possibly spent from last week's absolute marathon final against An Seyoung (and even ASY looked like she was feeling the pace against Tanvi at times today because that is how gruelling that Sunday final in Denmark was). But take nothing away from Ashmita, who will be, should be, absolutely delighted with this result.— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) October 22, 2026"

Both Ashmita Chaliha and PV Sindhu have advanced to the women's singles quarter-finals of the French Open Super 750 and will contest the tournament's last eight.