New Delhi, Oct. 24 -- Ashmita Chaliha may have exited in the quarterfinals of the French Open 2026 badminton tournament, but the Indian will return home satisfied, having beaten three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the second round - her biggest victory in career.

Ranked 36th in women's singles, the 27-year-old Indian stunned the world No. 2 Yamaguchi 21-19, 21-18 in just 37 minutes to secure a memorable win. Yamaguchi had finished runner-up at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi in 2026, losing to South Korea's An Se Young in the final.

For Chaliha, it was a perfect revenge on Yamaguchi, after losing in straight games at the Denmark Open last week. The Indian, who claimed her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Kor...