PV Sindhu Aims for Title After Two-Year Wait
It’s been a long journey for PV Sindhu, who has been chasing a title for two years. The last time the Indian badminton star claimed a championship was at the Syed Modi International in 2024. To find her last appearance in a final at a higher tournament level, you’d have to go back to May 2024, when she reached the final of the Malaysia Masters.
Sindhu is back in the spotlight after some impressive performances, including victories over World No. 5 Han Yue and her first win against Chen Yufei in six meetings. Luck was on her side too, as Yufei had to retire in their match, and Nozomi Okuhara gave her a walkover in the quarter-finals.
Now, Sindhu is set for her first final at the Japan Open 2026, where she will face the local favorite, Yamaguchi. This match promises to be exciting since Sindhu and Yamaguchi have faced each other in several thrilling matches over the years.
Yamaguchi has claimed the Japan Open title four times and has demonstrated her fighting spirit in this tournament, coming back to win after losing the first game in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The final is expected to be an instant classic, and all eyes will be on Sindhu. The big question is, can the two-time Olympic medalist bring the title home this time?
