PV Sindhu returned to the women's singles top eight in the latest BWF World Rankings on October 27, following her runner-up finish at the French Open Super 750 in Paris. The rankings update also marked a historic moment for France, as Christo Popov became the first French badminton player to reach world No. 1 in men's singles.
PV Sindhu Makes Strong Comeback
The two-time Olympic medallist rose three places to world No. 8, her highest position since January 2022. Sindhu has shown renewed form on the international circuit, winning the Japan Open in July to secure her maiden Super 750 title before reaching another major final in Paris.
In Sunday's French Open final, Sindhu won the opening game against South Korea's An Se Young but eventually lost 16-21, 21-11, 21-12. Despite the defeat, her performance provided encouragement as she targets further success before the season ends.
Sindhu will compete at the Hylo Open in Germany this week as the second seed. She is also pursuing qualification for the BWF World Tour Finals, scheduled for December 9-13 in Hangzhou, China.
She currently occupies ninth place in the World Tour Finals standings with 62,510 points, trailing Denmark's Line Christophersen by just 40 points. With only the top eight qualifying, Sindhu will have an opportunity to close the gap through strong performances in the remaining tournaments.
Ashmita Chaliha Reaches Career-Best Ranking
India's women's singles contingent also received a boost from Ashmita Chaliha, who climbed six places to a career-best world No. 30 after reaching the French Open quarter-finals. Her progress follows a successful season that included a Korea Masters Super 300 title.
India now have four players inside the women's singles top 30. Tanvi Sharma is ranked No. 21, while Unnati Hooda occupies No. 22. An Se Young continues to lead the rankings, with Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in second place.
Christo Popov Creates History for France
Popov's French Open victory propelled him to the top of the men's singles rankings. Playing on home soil, he defeated Indonesia's Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah 21-11, 14-21, 21-13 in the final.
The triumph also ended an 80-year wait for a French men's singles champion at the French Open. Henri Pellizza was the last Frenchman to win the title, in 1946.
Reigning world champion Alex Lanier is also among the world's top five, highlighting France's growing presence in men's badminton.
India's Lakshya Sen remains the country's highest-ranked men's singles player at No. 14, followed by Ayush Shetty at No. 19.
Relevant link: Badminton World Federation
Conversation
Be kind and stay on topic. Comments are moderated; abuse, spam and personal attacks are removed. Report a problem