‘Feels unreal’: Assam’s Ashmita Chaliha on stunning world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi at French Open

Assam’s Ashmita Chaliha described her victory over world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi at the French Open 2026 as “unreal”, saying the win meant a lot to her after coming through a difficult phase in her career.

The 27-year-old Indian shuttler defeated Japan’s three-time world champion 21-19, 21-18 in 37 minutes in the women’s singles second round on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the BWF Super 750 tournament.

“Honestly, it feels unreal. I’m still trying to sink it all in! Beating a player like Akane, who has achieved so much in this sport, is a really special feeling,” Chaliha told reporters.

“Having come through a difficult phase, this win means a lot to me. It gives me confidence and reminds me that all the hard work is paying off. I’m just really happy and proud of myself today,” she added.

Ranked 36th in the world, Chaliha had lost to Yamaguchi in straight games at the Denmark Open last week. She said the defeat helped her understand what to expect in their rematch and prepare a better strategy.

“Having played her just last week in Denmark, I knew what to expect and I tried to learn from that match rather than think too much about the result. I just wanted to enjoy and play my best game,” she said.

Chaliha said she focused on remaining patient and composed while capitalising on opportunities during the match.

“Against a player like Akane, you cannot afford to switch off for even a moment, so I tried to stay focused throughout the match and trust my game. I’m really glad I could execute my plans today and turn things around,” she added.

The Indian made a strong start in the opening game, building an 18-14 lead before Yamaguchi fought back to level the score at 18-18. Chaliha held her nerve to take the game 21-19.

The second game was closely contested in the early stages, with the players level at 7-7, before the Indian pulled away to complete the straight-games victory. Her defensive resilience and consistent retrievals put Yamaguchi under pressure and forced the Japanese shuttler into several unforced errors.

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

Yamaguchi had finished runner-up at the World Championships in New Delhi earlier this year, losing to South Korea’s An Se Young in the final.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also advanced to the quarter-finals after defeating Japan’s Riko Gunji 21-12, 21-16 in 44 minutes.