Badminton rankings: Sindhu returns to top 8, Christo Popov makes history for France

PV Sindhu climbed to world No. 8 after reaching the French Open final, while Christo Popov became the first Frenchman to top the men's singles rankings, capping a historic week for French badminton.PV Sindhu rose to No. 8 in BWF World Rankings (BWF/Badminton Photo)New Delhi,Oct 27, 2026 14:16 ISTTwo-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu returned to the top eight of the BWF World Rankings in women's singles on Tuesday, climbing three places after her runner-up finish at the French Open Super 750 in Paris. The latest rankings also brought a historic milestone for France, with Christo Popov becoming the first French badminton player to reach world No. 1 in men's singles.Sindhu's rise marks her best ranking position since January 2022, when she was among the world's top seven. The Indian had slipped outside the top 10 but has made a strong comeback on the international circuit, winning the Japan Open in July for her maiden Super 750 title before reaching the final in Paris.Sindhu came close to adding another title to her collection on Sunday, taking the opening game against world No. 1 An Se Young before the South Korean rallied to win 16-21, 21-11, 21-12. The result extended An's winning record against Sindhu, but the Indian's performance offered encouragement as she looks to build consistency ahead of the season-ending tournaments.Sindhu is set to compete at the Hylo Open in Germany this week, where she will be the second seed in women's singles. She is also chasing qualification for the BWF World Tour Finals, scheduled to be held in Hangzhou from December 9 to 13. Sindhu is currently ninth in the World Tour Finals standings with 62,510 points, just 40 behind Denmark's Line Christophersen. The top eight in the standings qualify for the season-ending tournament, leaving Sindhu with an opportunity to secure her place through strong performances in the remaining events.Meanwhile, fellow Indian Ashmita Chaliha climbed six places to a career-best world ranking of No. 30 after reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open. Her latest result builds on an impressive season that included a Korea Masters Super 300 title. India now have four players in the women's singles top 30, with Tanvi Sharma at No. 21 and Unnati Hooda at No. 22 joining Sindhu and Chaliha. The depth offers encouragement for Indian badminton as the season approaches its closing stretch.An Se Young continues to lead the women's singles rankings after another successful campaign. Japan's Akane Yamaguchi remains second, while the South Korean has maintained a sizeable advantage at the top following her consistent run of results on the World Tour.HISTORY FOR FRANCEIn men's singles, Popov made history by winning the French Open title on home soil and rising to the summit of the world rankings. The Frenchman defeated Indonesia's Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah 21-11, 14-21, 21-13 in the final, recovering after dropping the second game to secure the biggest title of his career.Popov's achievement marks a landmark moment for French badminton. He became the first French player to win the men's singles title at the French Open since Henri Pellizza in 1946, ending an 80-year wait for a home champion. His rise to world No. 1 also underlines France's growing strength in the sport.Reigning world champion Alex Lanier is another Frenchman making an impact, sitting inside the world's top five. With Popov at No. 1 and Lanier among the leading players, France has established a formidable presence in men's singles.India's Lakshya Sen remains the country's highest-ranked men's singles player at No. 14, while Ayush Shetty occupies the No. 19 position. Both will be looking to make further progress as the badminton season moves towards its conclusion.- Ends