GUWAHATI: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu ended a long title drought in emphatic fashion by defeating home favourite Akane Yamaguchi in straight games to win her maiden Japan Open crown at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Sunday, July 19.
The 31-year-old Indian produced one of her finest performances in recent years, beating Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the final to claim her first BWF Super 750 title.
With the victory, Sindhu became the first Indian shuttler to win a major title in Japan, silencing the home crowd with an aggressive, attacking display. The triumph also marked her biggest title since winning the BWF World Championships in 2019.
The Japan Open title ended Sindhu's wait for a major trophy, with her previous title coming at the Syed Modi International in 2024.
The win carried added significance given her recent record against Yamaguchi. The Japanese star had beaten Sindhu in several high-profile encounters, including the finals of the Indonesia Open (then a Super 1000 event) and the BWF World Tour Finals in 2019. Yamaguchi was also appearing in her sixth Japan Open final.
Before Sunday's clash, Sindhu had not defeated Yamaguchi in a completed match for four years. Their meeting at the Malaysia Open earlier this year ended with Yamaguchi retiring after the opening game, while Sindhu's last full-match victory over the Japanese player came at the Thailand Open in 2022.
The victory also evoked memories of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where Sindhu had defeated Yamaguchi in the quarterfinals on her way to winning the bronze medal.
By lifting the Japan Open trophy, Sindhu reaffirmed her status among the world's elite and added another prestigious title to a career that already includes two Olympic medals and a world championship crown.