PV Sindhu Ends Title Drought, Becomes First Indian to Win Japan Open
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Former world champion and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu ended her title drought by defeating home favourite Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the Japan Open final on Sunday.
The victory at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium made Sindhu the first Indian to win the Japan Open and secured her first BWF World Tour title since her Syed Modi International triumph in December 2024.
The title also ended Sindhu's seven-year wait for a Super 750 or higher-level title. Her previous title at this level came at the 2019 BWF World Championships, while her last BWF Tour title was the Syed Modi International in 2024.
Sindhu's triumph capped an impressive run in Tokyo. She defeated China's world No. 5 Han Yue in the pre-quarterfinals before overcoming Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei in the semifinals. She then produced a composed performance against four-time Japan Open champion Yamaguchi to claim the title.
Match Highlights
First Game
- Sindhu made a strong start, racing to a 3-0 lead.
- Yamaguchi fought back to level the score and later took the lead with a four-point winning streak.
- After the interval, Sindhu adopted a more aggressive approach and moved ahead 16-12.
- Yamaguchi levelled the score at 17-17, but Sindhu responded with four consecutive points to win the game 21-17.
Second Game
- Sindhu started strongly again, taking an 8-3 lead.
- Yamaguchi responded with four straight points to reduce the deficit.
- Sindhu maintained her advantage and led 11-7 at the interval.
- She extended her lead to 16-12 after the break.
- Yamaguchi fought back to make it 18-17, but Sindhu won the next three points to seal the title with another 21-17 win.
