TOKYO — India's PV Sindhu became the first Indian player to win the Japan Open badminton title on Sunday, defeating Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women's singles final to claim her maiden BWF World Tour Super 750 crown.
The two-time Olympic medallist produced a composed performance before the home crowd, controlling key rallies and maintaining her advantage in both games to secure the biggest World Tour title of her career since the circuit adopted its current tiered structure. The victory also marked Sindhu's first Japan Open title and ended a four-year wait for a win over Yamaguchi.
The title capped an impressive week for the former world champion, who defeated higher-ranked opponents throughout the tournament. She advanced to the final after China's Chen Yufei retired with a hamstring injury while trailing 21-19, 15-10 in Saturday's semifinal. Earlier in the week, Sindhu defeated China's Han Yue and received a quarterfinal walkover after Japan's Nozomi Okuhara withdrew.
Sunday's triumph represented Sindhu's first appearance in a BWF World Tour final since late 2024 and provided a significant boost ahead of the remainder of the international season. It also made her the first Indian to lift the Japan Open trophy since the tournament's inception.
Sindhu, one of India's most decorated athletes, has won two Olympic medals, a world championship title and multiple medals at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. However, the Super 750 title had previously eluded her despite a career spanning more than a decade at the highest level of international badminton.
The Japan Open is one of the Badminton World Federation's premier World Tour events and regularly attracts many of the world's top-ranked players. Sindhu's run included victories over several leading opponents, underlining a return to form after an inconsistent spell on the international circuit.
With the Japan Open concluded, players will now turn their attention to the next events on the BWF World Tour calendar as preparations continue for the season's major championships.
