PV Sindhu created history on Sunday, July 19, when she became the first-ever India to claim the highly coveted Japan Open title after beating the defending world champion Akane Yamaguchi in Tokyo. The 31-year-old produced one of her finest games in a while as she beat the Japanese favorite in straight games with a 21-17, 21-17 score in just half an hour to win her first ever Japan Open title. The double Olympic medalist reclaimed her attacking game once again.
This win has not only brought an end to her wait for a big title, but it is the most significant win of the Indian since winning the World Championships in 2019 and her first Super 750 title. Her previous title came at the Syed Modi International in 2024. Furthermore, this win has ended her seven-year wait for a major BWF World Tour title. Even though she won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2022, a stress fracture in her ankle prevented her from having consistent success in the future.
PV Sindhu Dominates 2 Straight Sets to Seal Historic Victory
Sindhu started the match with a strong start, quickly taking a 3-0 lead. But Yamaguchi wasn’t going to back down easily; she fought back to level the score. The opening game was tightly contested in those early exchanges, yet Sindhu gradually took charge with her sharp net play and well-crafted rallies. She pulled ahead to 8-6 and then 9-6 with some powerful winners, but a few unforced errors allowed Yamaguchi to sneak ahead at the mid-game interval. Not one to be deterred, Sindhu came back strong after the break. She clinched a grueling 36-shot rally to tie it at 11-11 and then showcased her skills with precise placements, deep pushes, and aggressive smashes to build a 16-12 lead. Yamaguchi made another push and leveled it at 17-17 after an exhilarating 38-shot rally, but Sindhu kept her cool. With two critical points and a mistake from Yamaguchi, she wrapped up the first game at 21-17.
The second game mirrored the first but saw Sindhu maintaining control for longer stretches. She dominated the front court and won another lengthy 44-shot rally, racing to an 8-3 lead. Yamaguchi managed to close the gap to 8-7 for a moment, but Sindhu quickly found her rhythm again, heading into the interval with an 11-7 lead. The Japanese player struggled to find her footing and even lost a video review as Sindhu extended her lead to 14-7. Yamaguchi made one last effort to come back, narrowing the score to just two points, but Sindhu responded with two powerful smashes to go up 17-14. Despite a couple of late mistakes that brought the score to 19-17, the Indian player kept her composure. Yamaguchi’s final return went long, the review confirmed the call, and Sindhu celebrated her historic victory with her coach. This 50-minute win made her the first Indian ever to claim the Japan Open title.
