Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Ashmita Chaliha pulled off the biggest win of her career on October 22. The 27-year-old from Assam took down world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi in straight games. It happened in the French Open 2026 round of 16. Chaliha, ranked 36th, finished the match 21-19, 21-18 in just 37 minutes. The BWF Super 750 event saw the Indian shuttler remain calm under pressure.
She held an 18-14 lead in the first game before the three-time world champion clawed back to 18-18. Chaliha pushed through the deadlock at 19-19 to snatch the opener. The second game saw her take control after a 7-7 tie. She relied on sharp defense to force unforced errors from the Japanese star. This victory serves as a major turnaround after Chaliha lost to Yamaguchi in straight games at the Denmark Open last week.
The victory carries added significance for the state, as Chaliha became "the first Indian shuttler since PV Sindhu to defeat a world No. 2 player." Sindhu also moved into the quarter-finals by beating Japan’s Riko Gunji 21-12, 21-16 in 44 minutes. Chaliha, who won the Korea Masters Super 300 earlier this year, faces a tough path ahead. She will meet either Olympic medallist Nozomi Okuhara or world No. 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong in the next round.
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