Published: July 18, 2026 at 12:17 pm
Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu advanced to her maiden Super 750 final at the Japan Open on Saturday after China’s Chen Yufei retired due to a hamstring injury. Sindhu was in complete control of the 44-minute semifinal, leading 21-19, 15-10 when the fourth seed conceded the match.
The commanding performance marks a significant milestone, marking the first time Sindhu has advanced past the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion in seven years. It also represents her first BWF World Tour final appearance since the Syed Modi International in 2024.
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Hitting peak form just a month ahead of the BWF World Championships, the former World Champion will now face reigning World Champion Akane Yamaguchi in the summit clash. Playing on her opponent’s home ground, Sindhu enters the blockbuster final holding a razor-thin 15-14 head-to-head advantage over the Japanese star.
PV Sindhu enters the blockbuster final holding a razor-thin 15-14 head-to-head advantage over World Champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan. Pics: Badminton Photo
A three-time world champion, Yamaguchi beat Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani, currently ranked sixth, in the other semi-final clash.
Having come into the match trailing Chen Yufei 8-6 in the head-to-head record, Sindhu raced off the blocks and dominated her better-ranked Chinese opponent to race to a 16-11 lead.
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However, Tokyo 2020 champion Chen Yufei, who had beaten Sindhu in four straight matches before Saturday’s clash, responded and drew level at 18-all. Sindhu, though, kept calm under pressure to take the opening game.
The second game saw Sindhu lead from the start before Chen Yufei decided she couldn’t continue and handed Sindhu the walkover win after a 44-minute-long affair.
Before this, Sindhu’s last victory over Chen Yufei came in the 2019 BWF World Championships semi-finals – a tournament the Indian ended up winning.
The victory also made PV Sindhu the first Indian shuttler to make the final at the Japan Open.
Sindhu is the last remaining Indian at the Japan Open this year.
