PV Sindhu reaches Japan Open semifinals after Okuhara withdraws

PV Sindhu advanced to the semifinals of the Japan Open 2026 after Japan's Nozomi Okuhara withdrew ahead of their scheduled women's singles quarterfinal in Tokyo on Friday.

The withdrawal handed the two-time Olympic medallist a place in the last four without taking the court, marking her deepest run at a BWF World Tour event this season.

Sindhu, currently ranked world No. 10, will now face China's Chen Yufei in the semifinals. The former Olympic champion holds a 8-6 head-to-head advantage over the Indian and enters the contest in strong form after a series of consistent performances on the BWF World Tour this season.

Sindhu eyes first title of the season

The Indian reached the quarterfinals after a commanding straight-games victory over world No. 5 Han Yue in the previous round. She had also defeated Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in her opening match to keep India's campaign alive in Tokyo.

With Okuhara's withdrawal, Sindhu has now reached her third semifinal of the 2026 season. She will be aiming to convert her strong run into her first BWF World Tour title of the year ahead of next month's World Championships in New Delhi.

Chen Yufei, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist, has been one of the most consistent players on the circuit in 2026, winning the Indonesia Masters and reaching multiple finals and semifinals across Super 500, Super 750 and Super 1000 tournaments.

The Japan Open is the final Super 750 event before attention shifts to the China Open and the BWF World Championships, making it an important tournament for players seeking form and ranking points ahead of the season's biggest competitions.