two time olympic medalist Sindhu Optoelectronics She defeated local favorite Akane Yamaguchi in straight sets on Sunday in Tokyo to win her first Japan Open title and first Super 750 crown.The 31-year-old defeated the three-time world champion 21-17, 21-17 to become the first Indian to win the Japan Open. The win ended her more than two-year title drought and was her biggest title since winning the World Championships in 2019.Sindhu’s previous title was won at the 2024 Syed Modi International.Yamaguchi is playing in her sixth Japan Open final, while Sindhu has not beaten a Japanese player in a complete match in four years. The rivalry between the two ended earlier this year when Yamaguchi withdrew after his first match at the Malaysia Open. The last time Xindu defeated her in the entire match was at the 2022 Thailand Open.Sindhu maintained control for most of the match on Sunday. Her attack at the net played a key role, forcing Yamaguchi to lift the ball multiple times before scoring with cross-court and body shots.Xindu took an early 3-0 lead before Yamaguchi tied the score at 3-3. The score was tight in the early stages of the first game, with both sides scoring and making mistakes.Xindu led 8-6 after scoring several points in front of the net, and extended the lead to 9-6 with a powerful spike. However, Yamaguchi fought back and went into the break with a two-point advantage.After the intermission, Xindu scored 36 consecutive shots to chase the score to 11-11 and quickly regained control of the situation. A cross-court smash, net goal and deep push helped her lead 16-12.Yamaguchi narrowed the gap, and the two shot 38 to chase the score to 17-15. The Japanese player finally equalized the score, but Xindu scored two points to lead 19-17.Yamaguchi then hit the ball into the net, before Sindhu ended the first set with a well-timed push past her opponent’s backhand corner.Xindu carried that momentum into the second game. She controlled the match from the front and led 8-3 after winning the 44-shot match.Although Yamaguchi narrowed the gap to 8-7 after several mistakes by Sindhu, the Indian led 11-7 at the break.Yamaguchi continued to struggle with her length and lost a video challenge, with Sindhu extending the lead to 14-7.The Japanese player’s final attack narrowed the gap to 14-12, but Shindo responded with two strong spikes, chasing the score to 17-14, and further expanded the lead after Yamaguchi made another mistake.Some late mistakes allowed Yamaguchi to make it 19-17, but the home favorite then hit wide, giving Sindhu three championship points.When Yamaguchi returned for the final time, Sindo locked up the title. After a video review, the line call was confirmed.
