Sindhu Cruises Past Han Yue in Straight Games
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu advanced to the quarter-finals of the Japan Open 2026 badminton tournament after beating world No. 5 Han Yue of China 21-16, 21-14 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Thursday. Sindhu, currently ranked 10th in the world, needed just 35 minutes to complete the win. As a result, she became the only Indian singles player left in the BWF Super 750 event.
After a slow start, Sindhu gradually settled into her rhythm and began controlling the rallies. Consequently, she pulled away to take the first game comfortably. She then carried that momentum into the second game and raced to an 8-0 lead, leaving Han Yue with little room to respond. Although the Chinese shuttler briefly narrowed the gap, Sindhu stayed composed and closed out the match with ease. The victory also improved her head-to-head record against Han Yue to 8-1.
Okuhara Awaits After An Se-young Withdraws
Sindhu will next face home favourite Nozomi Okuhara, a fellow former world champion, for a place in the semi-finals on Friday. Okuhara advanced after top seed An Se-young of South Korea withdrew from their second-round match. Speaking about the upcoming clash, Sindhu said the pair have competed against each other since their Under-19 days and expect another exciting contest. She added that Okuhara has been in good form recently, so recovery and preparation would be key ahead of Friday’s match.
Elsewhere, India’s campaign at the tournament ended in the mixed doubles event, as Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 22-20, 21-17 to Chinese top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the pre-quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty were both eliminated in the opening round, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were forced to retire hurt during their first match. Sindhu and the Kapila-Crasto pair had been the only Indians to reach the tournament’s second round.
