Sindhu Reaches Japan Open Semifinals After Okuhara Withdraws
PV Sindhu has advanced to the semifinals of the Japan Open after her quarterfinal opponent, Nozomi Okuhara, withdrew from the match on Friday. The Indian shuttler, currently ranked 10th in the world, thus secures her third semifinal appearance of the season, following similar runs at the Malaysian Super 1000 and Australia Super 500 events.
Okuhara's withdrawal was not further explained by tournament officials. Sindhu, 31, will now face China's Chen Yufei, ranked 4th in the world and the top seed in the tournament. Sindhu trails Chen in their head-to-head record 6-8 and has not defeated her since winning the World Championships in 2019.
Chen Yufei has been the most consistent player on the BWF World Tour this season, leading the race to the year-end finals. Despite the statistical disadvantage, Sindhu, who is relatively well-rested and moving well on court, will look to overturn her recent losses against the Chinese star.
The semifinal match is scheduled to take place on Saturday. A victory would put Sindhu in contention for her first Japan Open title.
