P.V. Sindhu’s eagerly awaited quarterfinal against home favourite Nozomi Okuhara at the BWF Japan Open Super 750 never got underway, with the Japanese former world champion handing the Indian a walkover.
The result sends Sindhu into her first Super 750 semifinal since the 2023 Denmark Open and marks her third semifinal appearance of the 2026 season, underlining her resurgence after beginning the year ranked World No. 18. She has since climbed back into the top 10 and is now World No. 9.
Awaiting Sindhu in Saturday’s semifinal is former Olympic champion and World No. 4 Chen Yufei of China. Chen cruised into the last four with a commanding 21-10, 21-12 victory over South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.
Sindhu trails Chen 6-8 in their career head-to-head and has lost each of their last five meetings, making the semifinal a stern test of the Indian’s renewed form. A victory would not only end that losing streak but also secure Sindhu’s first Super 750 final in nearly three years.
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Published on Jul 17, 2026