PV Sindhu Scripts History, Reaches Japan Open 2026 Final After Defeating Chen Yufei

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu delivered a thrilling performance on Saturday, reaching the women’s singles final of the Japan Open 2026 and creating history in the process.

The 31-year-old defeated World No. 4 Chen Yufei in the semifinals, ending a five-match losing streak against the Chinese shuttler. Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 when Chen was forced to retire due to a hamstring injury, securing Sindhu’s place in the final. 

Dominant Performance from the Start

Sindhu started with a clear plan — seize the lead early and hold it. Although Chen took an initial advantage, Sindhu fought back strongly to lead by four points at the mid-game interval. Chen levelled the score at 19-19, but Sindhu kept her composure and clinched the first game 21-19.In the second game, Sindhu again asserted control, racing to a 15-10 lead before Chen retired due to injury.

First Final of the Season

This is Sindhu’s first final of the 2026 season in a Super 750 event. Her previous final appearance came in 2024 at the Syed Modi International, where she won the title.After slipping to world No. 18 earlier this year, Sindhu has staged a strong comeback and is currently ranked No. 9.

Final Opponent

Sindhu will face the winner of the other semifinal between Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi and Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani on Sunday.