PV Sindhu moved into the semifinals of the Japan Open on Friday after Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara pulled out of their quarterfinal match. The unexpected withdrawal handed the Indian badminton star a place in the final four of the BWF Super 750 tournament.
The semifinal appearance is another positive step in Sindhu’s impressive season as she continues her search for her first title of the year.
Third semifinal of 2026 for PV Sindhu
This is Sindhu’s third semifinal of the season. Earlier this year, she also reached last four at Malaysia Super 1000 and Australia Super 500.
The latest achievement is even more special because it is her first Super 750 semifinal since the Denmark Open in 2023.
Tough test awaits against Chen Yufei
Sindhu’s next challenge will be a difficult one. She will face China’s Chen Yufei, the Tokyo Olympic champion and current world No. 4.
The head-to-head record slightly favours the Chinese player, who leads Sindhu 8-6. Even more worrying for the Indian is that she has lost each of their last five meetings.
A win in the semifinal would be a huge breakthrough for Sindhu. It would end her losing streak against Chen and also take her into her first Super 750 final in nearly three years.
Strong quarterfinal run before the walkover
Before benefiting from Okuhara’s withdrawal, Sindhu had already shown excellent form in the tournament. The two-time Olympic medallist produced a dominant performance against China’s Han Yue, who is ranked world No. 5.
Sindhu defeated Han Yue 21-16, 21-14 in just 35 minutes to book her place in the quarterfinals. The victory highlighted her sharp movement and confidence as she became the only Indian player left in the tournament.
Chen Yufei arrives in excellent form
Chen Yufei has enjoyed a successful season so far. The 28-year-old lifted the Indonesia Masters title earlier this year.
She also finished runner-up at the Thailand Super 500 and Malaysia Super 500 events. In addition, Chen reached the semifinals of the Singapore and India Super 750 tournaments, along with the Malaysia Open and the All England, both Super 1000 events.
Her consistent performances make her one of the strongest contenders for the Japan Open title.
India’s campaign ends in other events
While Sindhu kept India’s hopes alive, the country’s challenge ended in the other categories.
Mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were knocked out after losing 20-22, 17-21 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the pre-quarterfinals.
In women’s singles, young Indian player Unnati Hooda also exited the competition. She fought back by winning the second game but eventually lost to Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Hsun.
India had already suffered disappointment in the men’s doubles on Tuesday. Both Indian pairs were eliminated in the opening round. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty crashed out after the former picked up another injury, while MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan also bowed out early.