sports

PV Sindhu Reaches First Tour Final in Two Years After Chen Yufei Retires at Japan Open

Published on: 18 Jul 2026, 03:12 AM

Indian shuttler PV Sindhu advanced to the final of the Japan Open on Saturday after her opponent, China's Chen Yufei, retired from the match due to a hamstring injury. The victory marks Sindhu's first appearance in a tour final since winning the Syed Modi International in 2024.

Sindhu, currently ranked 10th in the world, was leading 21-19, 15-10 when Chen, the world number 4, decided to stop play. The match lasted 44 minutes before Chen's injury forced her withdrawal. This is Sindhu's first win over Chen since the 2019 World Championships final, where Sindhu claimed the title.

The 32-year-old Sindhu has been seeking her first title of the 2025 season. She will face either Japan's Akane Yamaguchi or Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani in the final on Sunday.

Sindhu's last tour-level final was at the Syed Modi International in 2024, which she won. She has not reached a BWF World Tour final since the 2023 Indonesia Masters.

Source: Indian Express

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