PV Sindhu becomes first Indian to win Japan Open

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu became the first Indian to win the BWF Japan Open with a 21-17, 21-17 victory over Akane Yamaguchi the three-time world champion and ending a title drought of more than two years. Her previous title came at the Syed Modi International in 2024.

Yamaguchi, playing her sixth Japan Open final, had enjoyed the upper hand in recent meetings, Sindhu had not beaten her in a completed match in four years, with their last full-match win dating back to the Thailand Open in 2022. Their earlier clash at the Malaysia Open this year ended prematurely after Yamaguchi retired following the opening game.

On Sunday, PV Sindhu was in complete control, setting the tempo from the start with a mix of powerful smashes and deft net play to outclass Japan's Akane Yamaguchi. She raced to a 3-0 lead before Yamaguchi levelled at 3-3 with sharp returns and Sindhu's unforced errors.

Sindhu regained control in the second game, dominating the forecourt and taking the shuttle early to keep her rival under pressure. A gruelling 44-shot rally ended with Yamaguchi hitting wide as Sindhu won six consecutive points to build an 8-3 advantage.

Although two net errors and a long return allowed Yamaguchi to narrow the gap to 8-7, Sindhu quickly recovered to take an 11-7 lead at the interval. The Japanese shuttler continued to struggle with consistency, sending several shots long and losing a video challenge as Sindhu extended her lead to 14-7.

Yamaguchi made one final charge, reducing the deficit to 14-12, but Sindhu responded with two fierce smashes to move to 17-14. Late nerves saw Sindhu twice find the net, allowing Yamaguchi to close to 19-17. However, Yamaguchi's wide return handed Sindhu three championship points, and the Indian sealed the title when her opponent's final shot landed long, a decision confirmed on review.

Revanth, Kishan congratulate Sindhu

Telangana CM, Revanth Reddy noted that Sindhu, achieving her first Super 750 title in her career, is a matter of pride for Indian sports, in a post on 'X'. The Union Minister wished Sindhu many more laurels on the global stage. "Keep shining and making the tricolour fly high," said Union Minister Kishan Reddy.