PV Sindhu ends 15-year wait to reach first Japan Open semi-final after Okuhara’s withdrawal

PV Sindhu advanced to her first ever Japan Open semi-final on Friday after former world champion Nozomi Okuhara withdrew due to injury ahead of the women’s singles quarter-finals at Tokyo’s Metropolitan Gymnasium.The move sends the Indian star into the last four of the BWF Super 750 tournament for the first time in his career. Sindhu also became the first Indian singles player in 15 years to reach the semifinals of the Japan Open, ending a wait that stretches back to Saina Nehwal’s 2011 final.

Sindh’s impressive recovery in 2026 continues

The semi-final appearance is another milestone in Sindhu’s impressive comeback season. After being ranked world No. 18 in 2026, the two-time Olympic medalist has climbed back into the top 10 and is currently ranked world No. 9 thanks to a string of consistent performances on the BWF World Tour. This is Sindhu’s third semi-final of the season, having also reached the final four at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 and Australian Open Super 500.Before Sindhu benefited from Okuhara’s withdrawal, she showed excellent form in the round of 16, defeating world No.5 Han Yue of China 21-16, 21-14 in just 35 minutes.With Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty and the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty already out of the tournament, Sindhu is now the only remaining Indian contender in Tokyo.

A blockbuster semi-final awaits you

Sindhu will next face world No. 4 and Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei of China in what promises to be a high-profile semi-final clash. Chen booked her place in the last four with a dominant 21-10, 21-12 win over Sim Yu Jin of South Korea.The head-to-head record favors the Chinese shuttler, who are 8-6 and have won each of their last five games. Sindhu’s last win over Chen came at the 2019 BWF World Championships where she won her first world title.