Ashmita Chaliha Stuns World No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi to Reach French Open Quarter-finals

Assam’s Ashmita Chaliha registered the biggest win of her career by defeating Japan’s world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi in straight games to enter the quarter-finals of the French Open 2026 badminton tournament on Thursday, October 22.

The 27-year-old Indian, ranked 36th in women’s singles, defeated the three-time world champion 21-19, 21-18 in 37 minutes in the second round of the BWF Super 750 event.

Chaliha held her nerve in a closely contested opening game before dominating the second with solid defence and sharp retrievals to seal a memorable victory. The win also marked a turnaround after her straight-game defeat to Yamaguchi at the Denmark Open last week.

Chaliha, who won her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Korea Masters Super 300 earlier this year, will next face either Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara or Thailand’s world No. 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu also advanced to the last eight after defeating Japan’s Riko Gunji 21-12, 21-16.

The victory marks a significant milestone for Assam badminton, further highlighting Chaliha’s growing stature on the international stage.