is it done A lot of people asked. PV Sindhu responded in Tokyo
When PV Sindhu spread her arms in celebration after the final point in Tokyo on Sunday, the tears had little to do with one badminton match.
It was almost two years of untitled releases. From months spent rebuilding from injuries. Endless questions whether one of India’s greatest female athletes has played her best badminton yet.
“I had tears in my eyes because it was very, very important for me to win,” Sindhu said after defeating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 to win the Japan Open Super 750 title on Sunday.
“I worked really hard on myself and I still believed I could do it. A lot of people were asking, ‘What’s going on? Is it done?’ But I still believed in myself, my family, my coaches and support staff.”
In the end, faith proved stronger than noise.
The triumph ended a 19-month title wait and gave Sindhu her biggest trophy since winning the World Championships in Basel in 2019. It also came at a time when many began to wonder if the two-time Olympic medalist could once again challenge the best on the biggest stages.
She left little room for doubt this week in Tokyo. Sindhu did not lose a single match en route to her maiden Super 750 title and became the first Indian woman to stand on the podium at the Japan Open. She outclassed former Olympic champion Chen Yufei in the semi-finals before overcoming reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the final.
It had been seven years since Sindhu last won the top BWF title. She won Commonwealth Games gold in 2022, but a stress fracture in her left ankle later that year interrupted her momentum and cost her valuable game time. In subsequent seasons, flashes of brilliance were often followed by frustrating departures. Too often, she looked like a player searching for the rhythm that once carried her to an Olympic final and a world title.
Still, 2026 indicated that something was changing.
With Los Angeles 2028 firmly in her sights, Sindhu has quietly put together encouraging results. She reached the semifinals of the Malaysia Open Super 1000, recovered from an early exit at the All England to reach the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters, and then reached the last four at the Australian Open before you take a monthly break to reset.
Tokyo became the breakthrough she was waiting for.
Against former world champion Yamaguchi, Sindhu produced one of her most complete performances in recent years.
She raced to a 3-0 lead, dictating forecourt moves and repeatedly displaying the towering smashes that once made her the most feared attacking player in women’s badminton. Although Yamaguchi clawed back to 16-16 in the opening game, Sindhu refused to panic, closing out the match at 21-17 before maintaining complete control in the second to wrap up the title in just 50 minutes.
BACK TO OFFENSIVE BEST
The performance reflected months of thoughtful work.
Since 2025, when Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama joined her team, Sindhu has steadily returned to the aggressive style that defines her best badminton. The emphasis was not only on hitting harder, but also on better movement, conviction to attack and reducing the unforced errors that crept into her game.
“My strength has always been my offense,” Sindhu explained.
“Because I move well and attack well, it’s important for me to limit unforced errors. Not making too many unforced errors is definitely a game-changer because the layups are a lot longer.”
That clarity was visible throughout the week. Sindhu trusted her attack without rushing points, balancing aggression with patience and looking physically equipped to sustain long exchanges against some of the tour’s toughest opponents.
She also spoke repeatedly about keeping calm, a theme that defined her campaign.
“Sometimes when you’re leading, you want to finish the rally quickly and you end up making simple mistakes,” she said.
“My coach kept telling me, ‘It’s OK, just focus on the next point.’ So I let go of what happened and focused on the next point. I think it made a difference.”
THE PERFECT TRIBUTE
When the title was finally secured, Sindhu made sure the celebrations belonged to her team as much as to herself, inviting Irwansyah to the stage and thanking everyone who had stuck with her through these difficult months.
She talked about the work she’s been doing with Wayne Lombardo, a strength and conditioning coach, in terms of keeping her body ready for big fights.
“I would like to thank Wayne, Hera, Shai and my coach Irwansyah. Both my families – my parents and my in-laws – have been there for me, and most importantly my husband. They have stood by me through everything, even through my losses.”
The victory could hardly have come at a better time. Next month’s World Cup in Delhi now arrives with renewed optimism rather than lingering questions.
“Definitely. This will give me a lot of confidence,” said Sindhu.
“I need to keep the same pace, keep the same composure, stay confident and keep going. That’s the goal. It’s really good to win at this stage and I want to keep it.”
Tokyo may not erase the difficult years that preceded it. One title cannot rewrite the whole story.
But for the first time in a long time, PV Sindhu does not look like a former champion trying to relive her old glory. She looks like a contender again. And perhaps more than the trophy itself, that’s what makes this victory significant.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
19 Jul 2026 14:24 IST