Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu progressed to the semi-finals of the Japan Open 2026 badminton tournament after Japan's former world champion Nozomi Okuhara withdrew from their scheduled quarter-final match, handing the Indian shuttler a walkover.
The women's singles quarter-final, which was set to be played at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, was called off before the players took the court. Okuhara's withdrawal ensured Sindhu's passage to the last four without having to play the match, keeping the Indian's title hopes alive at one of the most prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour calendar.
Okuhara, currently ranked world No. 11, had advanced to the quarter-finals under similar circumstances after top seed and reigning Olympic champion An Se-young of the Republic of Korea withdrew from their round-of-16 encounter due to injury. The Japanese player, however, was unable to continue her campaign, paving the way for Sindhu to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Ranked world No. 10, Sindhu will now face a formidable challenge against China's Chen Yufei, the world No. 4 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist, in the women's singles semi-finals. The clash is expected to be one of the marquee contests of the tournament, featuring two of the most accomplished players in world badminton.
Sindhu had earned her quarter-final berth with an impressive victory over China's Han Yue, who is ranked world No. 5. The Indian produced a composed and disciplined performance to overcome one of the tournament's top contenders, underlining her return to form after an inconsistent start to the season.
The victory over Han Yue was particularly significant as it marked one of Sindhu's strongest wins of the year and provided a timely confidence boost heading into the business end of the tournament.
Despite her recent momentum, Sindhu faces a difficult task against Chen Yufei, who has enjoyed the upper hand in their rivalry in recent years. The Chinese star leads the overall head-to-head record 8-6 and has won each of their last four meetings.
Sindhu's most recent victory over Chen came at the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she defeated the Chinese player before going on to create history by becoming the first Indian to win the women's singles world title. Since then, Chen has consistently emerged victorious in their encounters, making the upcoming semi-final an opportunity for Sindhu to end her losing streak against one of her biggest rivals.
Chen has also been among the most consistent performers on the BWF World Tour this season. The Chinese shuttler has reached at least the semi-final stage in all nine of her World Tour appearances in 2026, demonstrating remarkable consistency at the highest level. She also captured the Indonesia Masters title in January and has remained one of the leading contenders in every tournament she has entered this year. For Sindhu, the Japan Open marks her third semi-final appearance on the BWF World Tour in 2026. Earlier in the season, she reached the last four at both the Malaysia Open and the Australia Open but fell short of making the final on each occasion.
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The Indian star will now be aiming to convert another deep run into a title challenge as she seeks her first final appearance of the season. Her most recent BWF World Tour title came at the 2024 Syed Modi International, and a strong performance in Tokyo could provide the momentum needed ahead of the remainder of the international calendar.
Sindhu is now India's sole remaining representative in the tournament following the early exits of the rest of the contingent. In the men's singles competition, Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty were both eliminated in the opening round, ending their campaigns at the first hurdle.
India also suffered disappointment in the men's doubles event, where the experienced pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were forced to retire due to injury during their opening-round match, bringing an abrupt end to their campaign.
Earlier, India's challenge in the mixed doubles competition had concluded in the pre-quarterfinal stage after Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto bowed out of the tournament.
With Sindhu carrying India's hopes, all attention will now be on her semi-final clash against Chen Yufei. A victory would not only end her recent losing run against the Chinese star but also secure her first BWF World Tour final of the season and move her one step closer to capturing another prestigious international title.
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