TOKYO — Indian badminton star P.V. Sindhu has advanced to the semi-finals of the BWF Japan Open Super 750 after her opponent withdrew from the tournament earlier today.
Japan’s former world champion, Nozomi Okuhara, pulled out of the competition shortly before their scheduled quarter-final match. The walkover secures Sindhu her first Super 750 semi-final spot since the Denmark Open in 2023. It also marks her third semi-final appearance of the 2026 season.
Sindhu, who began the season ranked 18th in the world, has returned to the top ten and currently holds the World No. 9 spot.
She will face China’s Chen Yufei, a former Olympic champion and the current World No. 4, in the next round. Chen booked her place in the semi-finals with a 21-10, 21-12 victory over South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.
The upcoming match represents a major hurdle for the Indian shuttler. Chen leads their head-to-head record 8-6 and has won their last five encounters. A victory for Sindhu would break her losing streak against the Chinese star and secure her first Super 750 final in nearly three years.
