TOKYO: Two time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has booked her place in the Japan Open final, reaching her first tournament final in more than two years after China’s Chen Yufei retired with a hamstring injury during their women’s singles semifinal on Saturday.
Sindhu, 31, was in commanding form and leading 21-19, 15-10 when the Tokyo Olympics champion was forced to withdraw from the contest after sustaining the injury. The result marks Sindhu’s first appearance in a final since winning the Syed Modi International in 2024 and gives her a chance to claim her first major title since the Singapore Open in 2022.
The Indian shuttler delivered an aggressive performance against the world No. 4, relying on powerful smashes, sharp net play and excellent court coverage to control the rallies. Despite Chen recovering from an early deficit to level the first game at 18-18, Sindhu held her nerve and finished strongly to take the opener.
She carried the momentum into the second game, opening up an early lead and maintaining control with a series of attacking winners. Leading comfortably at 15-10, Sindhu was on course for victory before Chen called for medical assistance and was eventually forced to retire.
After the match, Sindhu expressed her delight at reaching the final and credited her focus throughout the contest. She said every point was crucial against a top ranked opponent and praised her coach for constantly reminding her to stay composed, especially when Chen began to fight back in the opening game.
Sindhu also highlighted the importance of winning a lengthy rally late in the first game, saying it boosted her confidence at a critical stage of the match. She added that maintaining concentration in the second game helped her stay in control before the unfortunate injury ended the contest.
Sindhu will now face either Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi or Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani in Sunday’s final as she aims to capture her first Japan Open title.
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