India's Women's Badminton Team Exits Asian Games 2026 After Quarterfinal Loss to Japan

India's Journey in Women's Badminton at Asian Games 2026

In a disappointing turn of events, the Indian women's badminton team was eliminated from the quarterfinals at the Asian Games 2026, suffering a 1-3 defeat against Japan on Tuesday.

Despite some standout performances, including a first-game victory by two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu over Akane Yamaguchi, the overall performance of the team fell short of expectations. The duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also showcased resilience in their match, but it wasn't enough to secure a win.

The quarterfinals commenced with Sindhu facing Yamaguchi. After a slow start, Sindhu managed to equalize at 5-5, but Yamaguchi took an 11-9 lead at the break. Sindhu fought back to tie the score at 18-18 before clinching the first game with a narrow 23-21 victory.

However, the second game saw Yamaguchi regain control, leading 11-9 at the break and eventually winning 21-18, leveling the match.

In the deciding game, Sindhu struggled, trailing 4-11 at the interval and ultimately losing 11-21, putting India behind 0-1.

Next, Unnati Hooda faced Tomoka Miyazaki in the second match. After a competitive first game, Hooda lost 16-21. She started strong in the second game but faltered, losing 18-21, giving Japan a 2-0 lead.

The third match featured the experienced pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand against Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto. The Indian duo fought hard, winning the first game 21-17 and the second game 21-16, keeping India's hopes alive at 2-1.

However, Tanvi Sharma's match against Nozomi Okuhara ended in disappointment as she lost 12-21 in the first game and 10-21 in the second, sealing Japan's victory in the tie.