An Se-young Claims French Open Crown for Fiftieth Consecutive Victory
“The body is very tired, but I am so grateful I can still play,” An Se-young said after securing her latest title.
An Se-young captured the French Open women’s singles title on October 25, 2026, at Arena Grand Paris in Paris, defeating India’s Pusarla Venkata Sindhu 2-1 (16-21, 21-11, 21-12) to claim her fiftieth consecutive match win.
The victory marks An’s tenth tournament win of the 2026 season and her fourth career French Open title. With the result, the 24-year-old holds a 66-1 record this year, boasting a 98.5 percent win rate. Her only defeat in 2026 came in March at the All England Open final against China’s Wang Zhiyi.
Sindhu Breaks the Streak in Game One Before An Recovers
The final began with Sindhu pressing the attack. The Indian veteran utilized heavy smashes to push ahead, taking an 11-9 lead at the first-game interval and pulling away to 15-11 before closing out the opening game 21-16. That scoreline handed An her first dropped game of the entire Paris tournament, ending a run of straight-sets victories from the round of 32 through the semifinals.
An adjusted her tactics in the second game, neutralizing Sindhu’s pace. She leveled the match by taking the second game 21-11.
The deciding third game saw Sindhu open an early 8-5 advantage. An responded by tightening her defensive coverage and capitalizing on long rallies, stringing together points to lead 11-9 at the interval before pulling clear to win 21-12.
Physical Toll Casts Doubt on Korea Open Participation
Despite the milestone victory, An faces mounting physical fatigue following a demanding autumn schedule. After winning the gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, she competed in and won both the Denmark Open and the French Open back-to-back.
The heavy workload has taken a toll on her joints. An sustained right Achilles tendon pain after slipping during the Denmark Open final and competed in Paris with bandages wrapped around her right knee and calf.
Speaking to the Badminton Korea Association after her quarterfinal match in Paris, An addressed her condition. “I want to eat French food or Korean food when I get back, and then rest while keeping up my recovery routine,” An said in a video interview. “After that, I will decide whether to play at the Korea Open or take more time to rest.”
Although An is currently entered in the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament scheduled for November 3 through 8 in Yeosu, South Korea, her participation remains unconfirmed pending a post-tournament assessment of her fitness.
Chasing Historic Single-Season Records
If An elects to play in Yeosu, she will return to competition roughly nine days after finishing the French Open final, leaving her with less than a week of rest once international travel is factored in.
A victory at the Korea Open would secure her eleventh title of the year. Last season, An also won eleven tournaments, matching the single-season record for singles titles set by Japanese men’s star Kento Momota in 2019. Capturing an eleventh trophy in Yeosu would surpass that benchmark.
Reflecting on her tactical approach in the final against Sindhu, An noted that consistency guided her through the challenge. “I tried to stay consistent rather than change my game completely, and that is why I was able to win today,” An said. “Sindhu is a powerful and aggressive player, so I focused on defense and tried to find my own timing.”
Worth a look
