PV Sindhu became the first Indian to win the Japan Open after she defeated three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on 19 July 2026. The victory ended a nearly two-year title drought for the 31-year-old Indian, who last won a BWF World Tour title at the Syed Modi International in December 2024. Sindhu received $66,500 in prize money for her historic triumph at the BWF Super 750 event.
The Japan Open: A Prestigious BWF Super 750 Event
The Japan Open is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the international badminton calendar. Established in 1982, it was the first international badminton tournament in Japan to offer prize money. Since 2018, it has been classified as a BWF World Tour Super 750 event, placing it in the elite second tier of the Badminton World Federation’s tournament structure, below only the season-ending World Tour Finals and the Super 1000 events.
The 2026 edition was held from 14 to 19 July at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, with a total prize purse of $950,000. The tournament has historically been dominated by Chinese, Indonesian, and Malaysian players. No Indian had ever won the Japan Open before Sindhu’s breakthrough.
Yamaguchi, playing in her sixth Japan Open final, had won the tournament multiple times, including her historic victory in 2013 when at age 16 she became the youngest ever BWF Super Series champion. Her defeat on home soil in front of a partisan Tokyo crowd made Sindhu’s achievement even more significant.
How Sindhu Won Her Maiden Japan Open Title
Sindhu’s path to the title was marked by composure and quality. In the semifinal, she faced China’s Chen Yufei, the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020. Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 when Chen was forced to retire due to a hamstring injury. The win ended Sindhu’s five-match losing streak against Chen and gave her a first final appearance in two years.
In the final against Yamaguchi, Sindhu produced an aggressive and disciplined performance. She started strongly with a 3-0 lead, but Yamaguchi fought back to level the scores. At 17-17 in the opening game, Sindhu raised her game, winning four consecutive points with powerful smashes and precise net play to take the first game.
The second game followed a similar pattern. Sindhu raced to an 8-3 lead with dominant forecourt control, repeatedly forcing Yamaguchi into defensive lifts before punishing them with steep smashes. Yamaguchi mounted a late comeback, reducing the deficit to 19-17, but Sindhu held her nerve. She sealed the title when a video review confirmed Yamaguchi’s final shot had landed wide, sparking emotional celebrations.
The match lasted approximately 50 minutes, with Sindhu’s blend of attacking flair and tactical discipline proving too much for the home favourite.
A Career-Defining Resurgence
The Japan Open title carries deep significance for Sindhu beyond the historic milestone. She had endured a prolonged lean patch, with her last BWF World Tour title coming at the Syed Modi International in December 2024 in Lucknow. A stress fracture in her left ankle had robbed her of valuable playing time and disrupted her rhythm over the past two seasons.
The win is her first Super 750 title since 2018 and her most significant World Tour triumph since winning the World Tour Finals that same year. It is also her biggest tournament victory since she won the BWF World Championships gold medal in Basel in 2019.
The result is expected to lift Sindhu back into the world’s top eight rankings, a crucial boost ahead of the BWF World Championships scheduled for August 2026 in New Delhi. This will be India’s first time hosting the World Championships since 2009, and Sindhu will enter the tournament with renewed confidence after proving she can still beat the world’s elite.
India’s Most Decorated Shuttler
PV Sindhu, whose full name is Pusarla Venkata Sindhu, was born on 5 July 1995 in Hyderabad to parents who were both national-level volleyball players. She trained under Pullela Gopichand at his academy in Hyderabad, travelling 56 kilometres daily in her early years.
Sindhu’s career achievements place her among India’s greatest athletes:
| Achievement | Details |
|---|---|
| Olympic Medals | Silver at Rio 2016, Bronze at Tokyo 2020 |
| World Championships | Gold (2019), Silver (2017, 2018), Bronze (2013, 2014) |
| Commonwealth Games | Gold (2022 Birmingham), Bronze (2014 Glasgow) |
| Asian Games | Silver (2018 Jakarta) |
| Highest Ranking | World No. 2 (April 2017) |
| National Honours | Padma Bhushan (2020), Padma Shri (2015), Khel Ratna (2016), Arjuna Award (2013) |
She is the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals and remains the only Indian to win the BWF World Championships gold medal. With five World Championships medals, she is one of only two women in history to achieve this feat, alongside China’s Zhang Ning.
Men’s Singles: Christo Popov’s Breakthrough
In the men’s singles final, Christo Popov of France defeated Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-11, 21-19 to claim his maiden Japan Open title. Popov, 24, who was born in Sofia, Bulgaria but represents France, is currently ranked world No. 5.
The victory was Popov’s third title of the year, following wins at the European Championships in Huelva and the German Open. It was also his first Super 750 title, marking the latest milestone in his rapid rise through the world rankings. Popov had earlier made history by leading France to its first Thomas Cup final, where the team won the silver medal in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- PV Sindhu became the first Indian to win the Japan Open badminton title on 19 July 2026 in Tokyo.
- She defeated three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final, which lasted 50 minutes.
- The Japan Open is a BWF Super 750 tournament, established in 1982, with a total prize purse of $950,000.
- Sindhu received $66,500 in prize money for her victory, which was her first Super 750 title since 2018.
- She has won two Olympic medals (Silver at Rio 2016, Bronze at Tokyo 2020) and is the only Indian to win the BWF World Championships gold medal (2019).
- Christo Popov of France won the men’s singles title, defeating Japan’s Koki Watanabe in straight games.
