India, Oct. 25 -- The stage at the $950,000 French Open final was set for a classic clash of resilience against relentless supremacy.

For PV Sindhu, this was her second final of the year, carrying the momentum of her triumphant Japan Open victory in July. But standing across the net was an adversary who has become the ultimate benchmark in women's singles badminton -- South Korean An Se Young.

The numbers painted a daunting picture. This was their 11th meeting, third of the year, with the South Korean superstar holding a spotless 10-0 record against the Indian. In their previous 21 games, Sindhu had managed to capture just a single game.

She won another as Sindhu, against the odds, took the first game. But normalcy resumed thereafter i...