PV Sindhu On Saturday, she secured a place in the women’s singles final of the Japan Open 2026, becoming the first Indian badminton player to reach the pinnacle of the prestigious tournament. The two-time Olympic medalist improved after defending Olympic champion Chen Yufei withdrew midway through the second race with a hamstring injury. Sindhu won the first game 21-19 and led 15-10 in the second, but the Chinese star was forced to retire.The victory was a major milestone for the Indian ace, ending a five-match losing streak against Chen and securing her first win over the Chinese player since the 2019 BWF World Championships.
Impressive final
Sindhu’s performance in Tokyo was impressive. She started her campaign with a series of confident performances, including a major victory over the world number one. 5 Han Yue was then eliminated by former world champion Nozomi Okuhara in the quarter-finals.The final also marked Sindhu’s return to the BWF Tour Championship after more than two years. Her last previous appearance was at the 2024 Syed Modi International, which she eventually won, while her most recent BWF World Tour major title was the 2022 Singapore Super 500 Open.
Sindhu attributes comeback victory to focus
Looking back on her achievement, Sindhu said she was happy to reach the finals after a challenging week of competition.“I’m happy to be in the final,” Sindhu said after the match.She emphasized the importance of staying focused throughout a match, especially against elite opponents.“For me, starting from the first game, every game is important, especially today’s game. It’s important to stay focused from the beginning because when you play against top players, every point counts, so winning the first game is really important,” she said.Sindhu will now face local favorite and former world champion Akane Yamaguchi in Sunday’s final as the Indian aims to win her maiden Japan Open title and continue her resurgence on the BWF World Tour.
