PV Sindhu: Ends 15-Year Wait at Japan Open. The Indian shuttler advanced to her first-ever Japan Open semi-final on Friday after Nozomi Okuhara withdrew due to injury ahead of their women’s singles quarter-final. This walkover sends Sindhu into the last four of the BWF Super 750 tournament for the first time, ending a 15-year wait for an Indian women’s singles player. Saina Nehwal was the last to achieve this feat in 2011.
PV Sindhu’s impressive 2026 resurgence continues with this semi-final. Starting the year ranked World No. 18, the two-time Olympic medallist has climbed back to World No. 9 thanks to consistent BWF World Tour performances. This is her third semi-final of the season, following similar runs at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 and the Australian Open Super 500. Before the walkover, Sindhu showed excellent form by defeating World No. 5 Han Yue of China 21-16, 21-14 in just 35 minutes during the round of 16.
With Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, and the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty already out, Sindhu is now India’s sole remaining contender in Tokyo. She will face World No. 4 and Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei in a blockbuster semi-final. Chen earned her spot with a dominant 21-10, 21-12 victory over South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.
PV Sindhu’s head-to-head record against Chen Yufei trails 6-8, with Chen winning their last five meetings. Sindhu’s most recent victory over the Chinese shuttler came at the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she won her maiden world title. The semi-final clash promises high drama as Sindhu aims to continue her remarkable comeback season.
