Two-time Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu scripted history on Sunday as she secured her first Japan Open singles title to become the first Indian to win the prestigious Super 750 title by defeating home favourite Akane Yamaguchi in straight sets.
Sindhu played fantastic all-round in Tokyo, beating the three-time world champion 21-17, 21-17. This win completed a two-plus year drought of titles and was the largest title of her career, since getting her BWF World Championships in 2019.
Aggressive attacking seeps through the mid-play and as Sindhu played her sixth Japan Open final, she controlled the net as well as smashed with great accuracy. The Indian, however, found a second gear with well-controlled passes and a clinical finish to come back and break the deadlock in the opening set-piece, scoring 21-17.
She carried the momentum forward into the second game with shooting with confidence, excellent control and an early lead. Yamaguchi came back into the picture, but Sindhu stayed calm and took control after the Japanese shuttler’s maiden return went over.
The victory is especially noteworthy as she had fallen to Yamaguchi in a full match for the last time in 2022 at the Thailand Open. They met earlier this year at the Malaysia Open, and the match was halted when Yamaguchi sat out the first game.
Sindhu also secured the first-ever win of her career in the Japan Open, making it another achievement in her illustrious career. This is her latest triumph and should give her a big confidence boost ahead of next months’ international tournaments, and help her set up for the rest of the season.
Sindhu, who was among the best badminton players to grace the sport in India, once again cemented her reputation with a vintage performance with the title on board on one of the world’s biggest stages.