PV Sindhu Reaches Japan Open 2026 Final After Chen Yufei's Retirement

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has made it to the final of the Japan Open 2026 after her semi-final opponent, Chen Yufei, retired due to injury. Sindhu, ranked 12th in the world, will face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in the title match. This final marks a significant milestone for Sindhu, as it is her first appearance in a BWF Super 750 event final. With this victory, she becomes the first Indian player to reach the Japan Open final, highlighting her remarkable journey in the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 18, 2026, 12:20 IST

Sindhu Advances to Final at Japan Open 2026

Tokyo, Japan - Indian badminton sensation PV Sindhu has secured her spot in the women's singles final of 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, who holds the world No. 4 position and is a former Olympic champion, withdrew because of a hamstring issue, as reported by Olympics.com.

In the final, Sindhu will face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, currently ranked third in the world. Yamaguchi earned her place in the title match by defeating Indonesia's sixth-ranked Putri Kusuma Wardani in the other semi-final.

This final marks Sindhu's first appearance in a BWF World Tour title match since her victory at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament in December 2024. It will also be her first final at a BWF Super 750 event.

Entering the semi-final with an 8-6 advantage in their head-to-head encounters, Sindhu started strong, taking a 16-11 lead in the first game. Although Chen, who had previously beaten Sindhu in their last four meetings, managed to tie the score at 18-18, Sindhu held her composure to win the first game 21-19.

Continuing her strong performance in the second game, Sindhu maintained her lead until Chen was compelled to retire after 44 minutes due to her injury, according to Olympics.com.

Sindhu's last victory over Chen was during the semi-finals of the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she ultimately claimed the championship title.

With this win, Sindhu has made history as the first Indian player to reach the Japan Open final. She is also the only Indian competitor left in the tournament this year.

India's participation in the event saw early eliminations for Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty, who were ousted in the first round. Additionally, 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.