P.V. Sindhu Advances to Japan Open Semifinals After Nozomi Okuhara Withdrawal Two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu secured her place in the semifinals of the Japan Open Super 750 tournament after former world champion Nozomi Okuhara withdrew from their women’s singles quarterfinal match on Friday, July 17, 2026. The 31-year-old Indian player, who previously claimed the 2019 world title, will compete in the last four of the event for the first time since the Denmark Open in 2023. This marks her third semifinal appearance of the year, following strong performances at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 and the Australian Open Super 500. Okuhara’s withdrawal created an unexpected opportunity for Sindhu, as the Japanese star had herself benefited from a prior withdrawal. In the pre-quarterfinals, South Korea’s An Se-young had pulled out due to a left foot injury, allowing Okuhara to progress without facing her. Now, Sindhu’s path to the semifinals is set against Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei, who advanced by defeating South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin with straight-game scores of 21-10 and 21-12 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Chen, the fourth-seeded Chinese player, holds a significant head-to-head advantage over Sindhu, with an 8-6 record in their encounters. Notably, Chen has won their last four meetings, including a straight-games victory at this year’s Indonesia Masters. This upcoming clash will be a test for Sindhu, who has not faced Chen in a competitive setting since the 2019 World Championships. In that semifinal, Sindhu defeated Chen to become India’s first badminton world champion, a milestone that remains a defining moment in her career. Sindhu’s current form reflects her resilience and adaptability.#nozomi_okuhara #pv_sindhu #japan_open #chen_yufei #tokyo_olympic
