4 min readMumbaiOct 24, 2026 04:27 PM ISTIndian shuttler PV Sindhu in action at French Open 2026. (Badminton Photo)There are smashes and then, smashes. PV Sindhu’s crosscourt expansive power-laced ones are known. But it was the flatter ones, and the sliced hits – the half smashes and cleverer drops that gave the Indian World No 11 a stroke-filled semifinal victory over Japanese former Junior World champion Hina Akechi as she made her second Super 750 finals of a fruitful 2026, at the Tremblay en France of the French Open.A large part of the charm of badminton in France – be it French Opens where Satwik-Chirag won consistently or the smaller Orleans tournament is the stadium DJ numbers. After Sindhu took the opener, 21-10, the arena blared out ABBA’s Dancing Queen for the regal manner of her finish, a crisply struck flatter smash – albeit cross. The match zig-zagged around a mountainous upclimb trail thereafter as the music got edgy & techno, but Sindhu prevailed 21-10, 20-22, 21-16, her progress properly deferred by an opponent who lacks reach or power, but is very educated in court-craft.Akechi in fact is a hugely competent opponent with an evolved game sense and most ingredients to challenge top names. She had taken out two Top 10s this week, and in all three sets, the scores went neck-to-neck. But Sindhu, even if made to fight, had the strokes to break away and prance towards the end.The first rally had been the indication of what was to come. The shuttlewent to multiple corners, got both stretching and lunging and ended with a Sindhu drop that Akechi sent out. That the level if physicality was the same on both ends is a testament to Sindhu’s fitness – Akechi was 14 when Sindhu won her World title.But the shot-making quality simply stayed stellar from both women. Sindhu sent down a straight smash and won an early net dribble battle. But Akechi was undaunted. She made Sindhu twist and turn – two jabs on the backhand side, one punch on the forehand flank. But then the flat smashes of Sindhu got crooning.“She’s tall and she will have me running,” Akechi had told BWF after giggling about heading back and cooking herself a dinner in her rice cooker she ferries around. But Sindhu was serving up spicy poppers.The ones that carried venom, Akechi dumped into the net limply. But the sliced smashes were even more potent as they stubbed out Akechi in the opening set. The French fans like their physicality in badminton – Alex Lanier, Popovs and even old favourites Satwik-Chirag. Sindhu was built to do well here and find the applause.Story continues below this adThe second set saw Akechi grow defiant and actually push Sindhu to the edges of precision. Akechi doesn’t fade easy so she dragged the Indisn into extra points and earned herself a decider. All the crowd wanted was a third set because the quality of strokes for those 73 minutes was exquisite.But the Japanese was increasingly forced to go for the lines, due to the Sindhu defence. Somewhere along last two years, Sindhu has realised that defense is best repurposed to cut out opponent angles and options, and not to prolong rallies endlessly. So Akechi piled up errors of the long and wide shuttle variety.Even then she wasn’t done in the third. Sindhu had to bring in her A Game and more, as she was pushed all the way drawing out her last creative and cranking ounce. She was very pitch perfect at the net anyway, but the strokes from the back needed careful vernier calliper calculations to evade Akechi.The win came from the second of her almighty shoulder smashes – you could hear the grunt needed to drawvout energy for that one.Story continues below this adSindhu looks primed to solve the unsolvable puzzle of An Se-young in the finals on Sunday. She had won Japan Open earlier, has beaten a tenacious Japanese here. But An Se-young leads 10-0.© The Indian Express Pvt LtdShivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementAdvertisement