Setback for Indian badminton fans as PV Sindhu exits Australian Open in semi-finals

NEW DELHI: India’s PV Sindhu saw her impressive run at the Australian Open 2026 come to an end after losing to reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s singles semi-finals in Sydney on Saturday. Sindhu fought hard in the opening game but eventually lost 22-20, 21-12 to miss out on a place in the final. The Indian shuttler arrived in the semi-finals with a lot of confidence after putting in a series of strong performances. In the quarter-finals, she defeated Chen Su-yu of Chinese Taipei 21-6, 21-9 in just 27 minutes, underscoring the form that has made her one of the tournament’s standout players.Sindhu, ranked 10th in the world, was making only her second semi-final appearance in the 2026 BWF World Tour season. Her previous run to the last four came at the Malaysia Open in January and the Australian Open marked another encouraging event for the two-time Olympic medalist.Before reaching the quarter-finals, Sindhu defeated India’s Isharani Baruah 22-20, 21-12 to continue her progress in the competition. She entered the tournament aiming to win her first BWF World Tour title since winning the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024.Although her title challenge ended in Sydney, the semi-final adds to Sindh’s promising revival in 2026. With consistent performances and yet another deep run on the World Tour, the Indian star continues to show signs of returning to his best form.