Nagasaki won the title of the Japan Open 2026 and Sindhu took the silver medal.
Sindhu was able to maintain her cool against Olympic champion Chen Yufei while going all round, attacking and keeping her focus in the final. That match had long rallies and quick exchanges and some very good performances from both players but it was the Indian star who held the momentum at the end to make it to the finals.
Sindhu and Chen have been in such a rivalry over the years, they have also had lots of international contests - in large championships (BWF World Tour events, etc). Their match was another must-see one as both players once again showed world class shot making ability and resilience.
Sindhu came to the match with all her confidence from a series of great performances earlier in the tournament. She had shown great movement on the court, aggressive smashes and better consistency, and that she was able to do it again against the Chinese star. Her control of the rallies and her opponent’s errors were all the difference.
Sindhu’s defensive effectiveness as a player were among the most impressive aspects of her performance. She absorbed pressure well whenever Chen tried to dominate the rallies, then took her opponent to the ground with powerful counterattacks that her opponent couldn’t prepare for them. Her precise net play and deep clears also helped to disrupt Chen's rhythm throughout the match.
This victory is especially heartening because Chen Yufei has been one of the top women's badminton players over the years. Defeating such a major tournament champion in the semi-finals will give Sindhu a huge confidence boost going into the final.
Sindhu's tactical execution was praised by sports observers as she was patient during long rallies and chose the right time to attack. Rather than relying only on power, Sindhu mixed her strokes intelligently, mixing deceptive drop shots with steep smashes and accurate placement to keep Chen guessing.
Sindhu’s victory also shows that she is back to her old rhythm on the BWF World Tour. After years of hard work on her health and fitness and game and then all of the other things, she has gradually resumed the form which made her one of India’s most decorated athletes. She is now also producing the best in Japan and is playing at the top level.
Sindhu did not only qualify for the Japan Open final but she also won Olympic gold medals at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and numerous BWF tournament wins. Every big event, every big place in a big international tournament, helps her to be able to play well and she can be confident going into the next big tournament.
The victory has also excited Indian badminton fans who have celebrated her performance on social media. Congratulations from fellow athletes, coaches, sporting organisations and supporters were received with joy and gratitude for her strong performance against one of the toughest foes on the international stage.
Indian badminton has grown drastically in the past decade and the players have won championships around the world. Sindhu is still one of the biggest brand ambassadors of the sport and inspires many young athletes to pursue badminton professionally. She is so dedicated and disciplined to badminton and always able to perform well in the sense of playing under pressure.
PV Sindhu scripted a history becoming the 1st 🇮🇳n WS player to reach into the Finals of #JapanOpen2026 👏after Tokyo olym🥇medalist CYF🇨🇳 tactically retired herself at middle of 2nd set when PV completely was in dominating position🔥
— Amit Kumar De (@AmitK98infinite) July 18, 2026
PV's 1st win over CYF after 2019 WCh as well🎉 https://t.co/VS0kyaTOSl pic.twitter.com/aDGmMARNxT
Sindhu will now be at the Japan Open 2026 final and battle for another BWF title. She will have the confidence to win (and win her first World Grand Prix) and her performance in the semi-final will keep her going. No matter who she plays, we can expect another big match where she will put on a show of her best badminton skills.
PV Sindhu is going to be ready to play the championship match and her victory against Chen Yufei is a testament to her skill and resilience, and continuous effort to win. If she can win this competition and do so again, she will go home with another world title and Indian fans will be proud to see she will win the Japan Open 2026 as well.
