Sindhu reached the semi-finals of the Japan Open for the first time after former world champion Nozomi Okuhara withdrew due to injury ahead of the women’s singles quarter-finals at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Friday.The victory propelled the Indian star into the last four of the BWF Super 750 Championship for the first time in his career. Sindhu also became the first Indian women’s singles player to reach the semi-finals of the Japan Open in 15 years, ending the wait since Saina Nehwal reached the semi-finals in 2011.
Sindhu’s impressive 2026 resurgence continues
The semi-final appearance was another milestone in Xindu’s impressive comeback season. Ranked No. 1 in the world starting in 2026 On February 18, the two-time Olympic medalist returned to the top 10 with a series of solid performances on the BWF World Tour and is currently ranked ninth in the world. This is Sindu’s third semi-final this season. He has also reached the semi-finals in the Malaysia Open Super 1000 and Australian Open Super 500 before.Before benefiting from Nozomi Okuhara’s withdrawal, Sindhu showed excellent form in the round of 16, defeating the world’s fifth-ranked Chinese player Han Yue 21-16, 21-14 in just 35 minutes.Sindhu is now India’s only remaining contender in Tokyo as Rakhia Sen, Ayush Shetty and doubles pair Satwiselaji Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have withdrawn from the tournament.
The blockbuster semi-finals await
Xindu will next face China’s Chen Yufei, ranked fourth in the world and Tokyo Olympic champion, in a high-profile semifinal matchup. Chen Yanxi defeated South Korean player Shen Youzhen 21-10, 21-12 and advanced to the semi-finals.The head-to-head record is in favor of the Chinese badminton player, who leads 8-6 and has won all five of their past meetings. Sindu’s most recent victory over Chen came at the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she won her first world title.
