In a series of remarkable turnarounds, PV Sindhu managed to secure her place in the Japan Open final after defeating China's Chen Yufei in the semifinals on Saturday, July 18. The win also brought an end to Sindhu's five-game losing run against the Chinese player, marking her return to a tour-level final after a long wait.
Sindhu claimed the opening game by 21-19 and was leading 15-10 in the second when Chen Yufei retired because of a hamstring injury. The Indian shuttler will lock horns against either Japan's Akane Yamaguchi or Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani in Sunday's final on July 19. Sindhu appeared quick and recovered throughout the encounter, with her quarterfinal walkover seemingly giving her good enough time to recover before the game.
How did the game go for PV Sindhu?
Sindhu's last appearance in the final came at the 2024 Syed Modi International, where she emerged victorious. Against Chen Yufei, the Indian shuttler entered the game with a clear mindset of going ahead on the scoreboard and maintaining control for as long as possible. However, the clash did not start as per the plan, with the Chinese shuttler taking an early advantage.
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However, Sindhu reacted strongly after enduring a slow start, reeling off four consecutive points to surge into a 10-5 lead. She carried that momentum into the mid-game interval with a healthy lead before getting instructions from her coach, who urged her to continue playing attackingly.
After the restart, Chen Yufei raised intensity and forced long, hard-fought rallies as neither player was willing to accept loss. Despite the pressure, Sindhu repeatedly found success with her well-disguised cross-court drop shots, stretching her opponent across the court and rebuilding a comfortable five-point advantage.
Chen Yufei gradually made a comeback into the game, reducing the gap to just one point and once again showcasing the resilience that had helped her dominate Sindhu in their recent clashes. The pair then produced a 51-shot rally. Sindhu reacted with intensity, letting out a roar following moving ahead at the decisive stage before closing out the game.
Carrying that momentum into the second game, the Indian shuttler made another strong start, cementing an early advantage before taking firm control of the game and sealed the game.