PV Sindhu has advanced to the semifinals of the Japan Open 2026 after Nozomi Okuhara withdrew ahead of their scheduled women’s singles quarterfinals in Tokyo.
Okuhara’s withdrawal granted Sindhu a place in the semifinals without having to take the court, making it her deepest run at a BWF World Tour event this season.
Sindhu, who’s currently ranked World No 10, will have to face China’s Chen Yufei in the semi-finals. Yufei, a former Olympic champion, holds an 8-6 head-to-head advantage over the two-time Olympic medalist.
Sindhu reached the quarter-finals after a dominant straight-games victory over World No. 5 Han Yue in the previous round. She also defeated Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching in the opening match.
With Okuhara’s withdrawal granting her a run to the semifinals, it becomes Sindhu’s third semifinal of 2026, and she will look to convert this dominant run into her first BWF World Tour title of the year.
The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist, Chen Yufei, has been one of the most consistent players 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 the China Open begins, and the coveted BWF World Championships in August, making it an important tournament for players seeking form and ranking points ahead of the season’s biggest competitions.
