- July 17, 2026
PV Sindhu Qualifies For Japan Open Semifinals After Opponent Withdraws
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PV Sindhu reached the Japan Open semifinals after her opponent Nozomi Okuhara pulled out from the last-eight clash.
PV Sindhu will next face Chen Yufei. (PTI Photo)
PV Sindhu advanced to the Japan Open semifinals in Tokyo on Friday after local favourite Nozomi Okuhara withdrew from their quarterfinal clash. The result gave the Indian shuttler her third semifinal appearance of the season, following her runs at the Malaysian Super 1000 and Australian Super 500 events.
It also marked Sindhu‘s first entry into a Super 750 semifinal since the 2023 Denmark Open.
The 31-year-old, who is aiming to claim her first title of the season, will next meet Tokyo Olympic champion and world No. 4 Chen Yufei of China. Sindhu currently trails Chen 6-8 in their career head-to-head record.
Chen has defeated Sindhu in their last five encounters, making the semifinal a crucial opportunity for the Indian to end that streak. A victory would also help Sindhu reach a Super 750 final for the first time in almost three years.
Sindhu remains the only Indian player still competing at the BWF Super 750 tournament. Earlier in the competition, the two-time Olympic medallist secured a place in the quarterfinals with a dominant 21-16, 21-14 win over China’s world No. 5 Han Yue in a 35-minute match.
Chen Yufei, 28, has enjoyed a strong campaign this season, winning the Indonesia Masters and reaching Super 500 finals in Thailand and Malaysia. She has also consistently featured in the later stages of major tournaments, including semifinal appearances at the Singapore and India Super 750 events, along with the Malaysia Open and All England Super 1000 tournaments.
India’s campaign in other categories ended with multiple exits. The mixed doubles team of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 20-22, 17-21 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the pre-quarterfinals.
In women’s singles, Unnati Hooda was eliminated by Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Hsun despite winning the second game. India had already suffered setbacks in men’s doubles on Tuesday, with both combinations exiting in the opening round.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, as well as MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan, were knocked out, with Satwik and Chirag also dealing with another injury setback.
With PTI Inputs
PV Sindhu will face Chen Yufei in the Japan Open semifinals. Sindhu trails Chen 6-8 in their career head-to-head record. Chen has defeated Sindhu in their last five encounters, making this semifinal a crucial opportunity for Sindhu to end that streak.
About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
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