PV Sindhu Reaches First Final in Over Two Years After Chen Yufei Retires at Japan Open
India's PV Sindhu reached the women's singles final at the Japan Open after China's Chen Yufei retired injured during their semi-final in Tokyo on Saturday. Sindhu had taken a hard-fought opening game 21-19 and led 15-10 in the second when the former Olympic champion was forced to withdraw with a hamstring injury, sending the Indian into her first BWF World Tour final in more than two years.
The victory marks an important milestone in Sindhu's comeback campaign. The two-time Olympic medallist hadn't reached a final since lifting the Syed Modi International title in 2024, while her last BWF World Tour crown came at the Singapore Open Super 500 in 2022. Sunday's final now presents an opportunity to claim her first major international title in four years after an encouraging week in Tokyo.
Sindhu Edges a High-Quality Opening Game
The semi-final carried added significance because of the rivalry between the two former world champions. Entering the match, Sindhu trailed Chen 6-8 in their head-to-head meetings and had lost each of their previous four encounters, including a straight-games defeat at this year's Indonesia Masters.
Yet the Indian produced one of her most assured displays of the season from the opening rally.
Sindhu established early control through aggressive stroke play, mixing powerful smashes with delicate net shots to prevent Chen from settling into long exchanges. A precise drop shot followed by a steep forehand winner helped her open a healthy advantage before she moved into the mid-game interval leading 11-7.
Chen gradually found her rhythm after the break. The Chinese fourth seed tightened her defence, extended rallies and repeatedly forced Sindhu deeper into the court, cutting the deficit before drawing level at 18-18 after a sustained spell of pressure.
The defining moment of the opening game arrived moments later.
A gripping 51-shot rally tested both players physically and mentally before Chen sent her return wide. Sindhu immediately regained momentum, producing two fierce attacking winners to close out the game 21-19 and celebrate with a determined fist pump. The opening game lasted just over half an hour but immediately shifted the pressure onto the Chinese star.
"For me every match mattered a lot from the first match, especially today's match. When you play with the top-ranked players it's important that every point matters,"
Sindhu said after the match.
Aggressive Play Forces Chen's Retirement
Sindhu refused to ease off after taking the opener.
She raced into a 3-0 lead in the second game before Chen briefly reduced the deficit. Every time the Chinese player threatened to close the gap, Sindhu responded with another attacking sequence, using sharp cross-court smashes and controlled net play to dictate the tempo.
By the mid-game interval, Sindhu had restored a comfortable 11-7 advantage.
Her confidence continued to grow as she repeatedly targeted Chen's backhand corner, forcing the former Olympic champion onto the defensive. Three consecutive smashes stretched the lead further before another cross-court winner made it 15-10.
At that point, Chen requested medical treatment for an apparent hamstring problem.
After receiving attention courtside, the world No. 4 attempted to continue but quickly signalled she could not carry on, retiring from the contest and sending Sindhu into the championship match.
Although the conclusion came through injury, Sindhu had already established clear control of the contest. She had dictated the majority of attacking exchanges, moved efficiently around the court and looked physically sharper than she has for much of the past two seasons.
A Timely Return to a Big Final
The result represents another significant step in Sindhu's resurgence after an inconsistent spell following injuries and changes within her coaching setup.
Her previous appearance in a final came when she won the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024. Before that, she finished runner-up at the Malaysia Open Super 500 during the same season, but a major World Tour title has remained elusive since her Singapore Open triumph in 2022.
Sindhu acknowledged the importance of remaining mentally composed when Chen threatened to recover in the first game.
"My coach kept saying it doesn't matter, just focus on the next point," she explained after the victory. "Sometimes when you're leading and you give away points, a lot of emotions go through your head. Staying focused really helped me."
The Indian also highlighted the importance of winning the lengthy rally late in the first game, describing it as one of the turning points that allowed her to maintain momentum heading into the second.
Match Stats
What It Means Ahead of Sunday's Final
Sindhu's victory guarantees her place in the Japan Open final, where she will face either Japan's Akane Yamaguchi or Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani, depending on the outcome of the second semi-final.
Beyond reaching another title match, the performance demonstrated encouraging signs against one of the world's elite players. Sindhu defeated a top-four opponent for the first time in several months and did so by consistently taking the initiative rather than relying solely on defence.
With confidence restored and another major final secured, the Indian now has an opportunity to end a four-year wait for a BWF World Tour title when she returns to court for Sunday's championship match in Tokyo.