Tokyo: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu rediscovered her vintage form to win her maiden Japan Open title, defeating home favourite and world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final of the BWF Super 750 tournament on Sunday.
The victory marked Sindhu’s first Super 750 title and ended a title drought of more than two years. It also made her the first Indian shuttler to win the prestigious Japan Open and became her biggest triumph since winning the BWF World Championships title in 2019.
Facing three-time world champion Yamaguchi in front of a partisan Tokyo crowd, Sindhu produced a confident performance, combining aggressive smashes with precise net play and tactical discipline to control the match from the beginning.
The Indian started strongly, taking a 3-0 lead before Yamaguchi fought back to level the scores. The opening game remained competitive as both players exchanged momentum, with the Japanese player holding a narrow advantage at the mid-game interval.
Sindhu changed the flow after the break. A marathon 36-shot rally helped her regain parity before she strengthened her hold through accurate net exchanges and powerful cross-court winners.
She built a four-point lead at 16-12 and, despite Yamaguchi reducing the gap, Sindhu remained composed in the closing stages. Consecutive attacking winners and an error from the Japanese player gave Sindhu three game points before she secured the opening game with a well-placed push into the backhand corner.
In the second game, Sindhu continued her dominance by controlling the forecourt and repeatedly forcing Yamaguchi into defensive lifts before finishing points with her trademark steep smashes.
A demanding 44-shot rally highlighted Sindhu’s physical strength as she raced to an 8-3 lead and maintained an 11-7 advantage at the interval.
Yamaguchi attempted a comeback by narrowing the deficit to 14-12 and later 19-17, but Sindhu held her composure. Two powerful smashes restored her control before she earned three championship points. The match ended after Yamaguchi’s return went long, with a successful video review confirming the line call.
The win was especially significant for Sindhu as she had not defeated Yamaguchi in a completed match for four years. Against an opponent appearing in her sixth Japan Open final, Sindhu delivered one of her best performances in recent seasons.
With the Tokyo victory, Sindhu claimed her maiden Japan Open crown and made a strong statement ahead of major international events later this season.
