PV Sindhu Reaches Japan Open 2026 Final After Opponent's Injury

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has made headlines by advancing to the final of the Japan Open 2026 after her semi-final opponent, Chen Yufei, retired due to injury. Leading the match at the time, Sindhu will now face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in a highly anticipated title clash. This final marks a significant milestone for Sindhu, being her first appearance in a BWF Super 750 event final. Despite challenges faced by other Indian players in the tournament, Sindhu stands out as the only Indian competitor remaining. Read on to discover more about her journey and the upcoming final.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 18, 2026, 12:53 IST

Sindhu Advances to Final

Indian badminton sensation PV Sindhu has secured her spot in the women's singles final at the Japan Open 2026. This achievement came after her semi-final rival, Chen Yufei from China, had to retire due to injury during the second game on Saturday.

Ranked 12th globally, Sindhu was ahead with scores of 21-19, 15-10 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium when Chen, the world No. 4 and a former Olympic champion, withdrew because of a hamstring issue, as reported by Olympics.com. Sindhu is set to face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, who is ranked third in the world, in the final on Sunday. Yamaguchi reached the final by defeating Indonesia's sixth-seeded Putri Kusuma Wardani in the other semi-final.

Final Match Significance

This final will be significant for Sindhu as it marks her first appearance in a BWF World Tour title match since her victory at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament in December 2024. Additionally, it will be her first final at a BWF Super 750 event.

Semi-Final Match Overview

Entering the semi-final with an 8-6 advantage in their head-to-head encounters, Sindhu started strong, quickly establishing a 16-11 lead in the first game. Despite Chen's previous dominance over Sindhu in their last four meetings, she managed to level the score at 18-18. However, Sindhu maintained her composure and clinched the first game 21-19.

In the second game, Sindhu continued her strong performance until Chen was compelled to retire after 44 minutes due to her injury. Sindhu's last victory against Chen was during the semi-finals of the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she ultimately won the title.

India's Performance at the Japan Open

Sindhu's victory makes her the first Indian player to reach the final of the Japan Open. She remains the only Indian competitor left in the tournament this year. Unfortunately, India's campaign faced challenges, with early exits for Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty in the first round. The men's doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had to retire during their opening match, while the mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto exited in the pre-quarterfinals.