Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (Jul 19) congratulated two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu after she won the Japan Open 2026, calling it a historic moment for Indian badminton. He praised her determination and outstanding display throughout the tournament, highlighting that she is the first Indian to win the prestigious title. PM Modi said Sindhu’s success would motivate young athletes across the country to take up sports and achieve greatness.&nbsp;Sindhu produced one of her finest performances in recent years to win her maiden Japan Open title. She defeated home favourite and world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final of the BWF Super 750 tournament on Sunday.&nbsp;“A historic feat for Indian badminton! Congratulations to PV Sindhu for emerging victorious in the Japan Open 2026. Her determination and exceptional skills were on full display throughout the tournament. The fact that she is the first Indian to win this title makes this achievement even more special. It will inspire countless young athletes across the country to play and shine,” PM Modi wrote in an X post.&nbsp;Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also congratulated Sindhu after her straight-games victory over Akane Yamaguchi to lift the Japan Open title. He called it a landmark achievement for Indian badminton and wished her success at the Olympics.&nbsp;“Heartfelt congratulations to @Pvsindhu1 for a phenomenal straight-games victory (21-17, 21-17) against Yamaguchi to secure the Japan Open. A historic milestone for Indian badminton! All the best for Olympics Amma!” Naidu wrote in an X post.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-bukayo-saka-joins-elite-england-list-with-wc-hat-trick-1784457108776">FIFA 2026: Bukayo Saka joins elite England list with WC hat-trick</a>&nbsp;Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also praised Sindhu for creating history by becoming the first Indian to win the Japan Open. He said her achievement reflected her hard work and world-class talent.&nbsp;“A historic feat for Indian badminton! Congratulations to PV Sindhu for emerging victorious in the Japan Open 2026. Her determination and exceptional skills were on full display throughout the tournament. The fact that she is the first Indian to win this title makes this achievement even more special. It will inspire countless young athletes across the country to play and shine,” Fadnavis also wrote in an X post.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pv-sindhu-scripts-history-becomes-first-indian-to-win-bwf-japan-open-1784455081664">PV Sindhu scripts history, becomes first Indian to win BWF Japan Open</a>&nbsp;The win gave Sindhu her first BWF Super 750 title and ended a wait of more than two years for an international title. She also became the first Indian shuttler to win the prestigious Japan Open, marking her biggest achievement since winning the BWF World Championships in 2019.&nbsp;With her victory in Tokyo, Sindhu not only secured her maiden Japan Open crown but also boosted her confidence ahead of the major international tournaments later this season.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated PV Sindhu after she became the first Indian to win the Japan Open, defeating world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi in the BWF Super 750 women's singles final.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (Jul 19) congratulated two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu after she won the Japan Open 2026, calling it a historic moment for Indian badminton. He praised her determination and outstanding display throughout the tournament, highlighting that she is the first Indian to win the prestigious title. PM Modi said Sindhu’s success would motivate young athletes across the country to take up sports and achieve greatness. Sindhu produced one of her finest performances in recent years to win her maiden Japan Open title. She defeated home favourite and world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final of the BWF Super 750 tournament on Sunday. “A historic feat for Indian badminton! Congratulations to PV Sindhu for emerging victorious in the Japan Open 2026. Her determination and exceptional skills were on full display throughout the tournament. The fact that she is the first Indian to win this title makes this achievement even more special. It will inspire countless young athletes across the country to play and shine,” PM Modi wrote in an X post. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also congratulated Sindhu after her straight-games victory over Akane Yamaguchi to lift the Japan Open title. He called it a landmark achievement for Indian badminton and wished her success at the Olympics. “Heartfelt congratulations to @Pvsindhu1 for a phenomenal straight-games victory (21-17, 21-17) against Yamaguchi to secure the Japan Open. A historic milestone for Indian badminton! All the best for Olympics Amma!” Naidu wrote in an X post. Also Read - FIFA 2026: Bukayo Saka joins elite England list with WC hat-trick Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also praised Sindhu for creating history by becoming the first Indian to win the Japan Open. He said her achievement reflected her hard work and world-class talent. “A historic feat for Indian badminton! Congratulations to PV Sindhu for emerging victorious in the Japan Open 2026. Her determination and exceptional skills were on full display throughout the tournament. The fact that she is the first Indian to win this title makes this achievement even more special. It will inspire countless young athletes across the country to play and shine,” Fadnavis also wrote in an X post. Also Read - PV Sindhu scripts history, becomes first Indian to win BWF Japan Open The win gave Sindhu her first BWF Super 750 title and ended a wait of more than two years for an international title. She also became the first Indian shuttler to win the prestigious Japan Open, marking her biggest achievement since winning the BWF World Championships in 2019. With her victory in Tokyo, Sindhu not only secured her maiden Japan Open crown but also boosted her confidence ahead of the major international tournaments later this season. With inputs from agencies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated PV Sindhu after she became the first Indian to win the Japan Open, defeating world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi in the BWF Super 750 women's singles final.

'Historic feat for Indian badminton': PM Modi congratulates PV Sindhu on Japan Open victory

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu reached the women’s singles final of the Japan Open 2026 after her semi-final opponent, China’s Chen Yufei, retired with a hamstring injury during the second game on Saturday (Jul 18). World No. 12 Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium when world No. 4 Chen, the former Olympic champion, was forced to withdraw after 44 minutes of play, according to Olympics.com.&nbsp;Sindhu will now face Japan’s world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi in Sunday’s final. Yamaguchi secured her place in the title match by defeating Indonesia’s world No. 6 Putri Kusuma Wardani in the other semi-final.&nbsp;This will be Sindhu’s first BWF World Tour final since winning the Syed Modi International Super 300 title in December 2024. It will also be her first-ever final at a BWF Super 750 tournament.&nbsp;Sindhu entered the match with an 8-6 head-to-head advantage over Chen and made a confident start, taking a 16-11 lead in the opening game. Chen, who had won their previous four meetings, fought back to level the score at 18-18, but Sindhu stayed calm and closed out the game 21-19.&nbsp;The Indian continued to dominate in the second game, building a 15-10 lead before Chen was forced to retire because of injury.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-us-defends-argentina-for-displaying-malvinas-banner-after-england-win-1784362771340">FIFA 2026 | US defends Argentina for Falkland banner after England win</a>&nbsp;Sindhu’s last victory over Chen came in the semi-finals of the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she went on to win the gold medal.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-3rd-odi-when-and-where-to-watch-live-streaming-in-india-1784369321779">IND vs ENG, 3rd ODI: When and where to watch live streaming in India?</a>&nbsp;With this win, Sindhu became the first Indian badminton player to reach the Japan Open final. She is also the only Indian left in the tournament.&nbsp;India had a disappointing campaign otherwise, with Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty losing in the opening round. The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty retired due to injury in their first match, while the mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

PV Sindhu delivered an outstanding performance to defeat her long-time rival Chen Yufei and book her place in the final of the Japan Open 2026.

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu reached the women’s singles final of the Japan Open 2026 after her semi-final opponent, China’s Chen Yufei, retired with a hamstring injury during the second game on Saturday (Jul 18). World No. 12 Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium when world No. 4 Chen, the former Olympic champion, was forced to withdraw after 44 minutes of play, according to Olympics.com. Sindhu will now face Japan’s world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi in Sunday’s final. Yamaguchi secured her place in the title match by defeating Indonesia’s world No. 6 Putri Kusuma Wardani in the other semi-final. This will be Sindhu’s first BWF World Tour final since winning the Syed Modi International Super 300 title in December 2024. It will also be her first-ever final at a BWF Super 750 tournament. Sindhu entered the match with an 8-6 head-to-head advantage over Chen and made a confident start, taking a 16-11 lead in the opening game. Chen, who had won their previous four meetings, fought back to level the score at 18-18, but Sindhu stayed calm and closed out the game 21-19. The Indian continued to dominate in the second game, building a 15-10 lead before Chen was forced to retire because of injury. Also Read - FIFA 2026 | US defends Argentina for Falkland banner after England win Sindhu’s last victory over Chen came in the semi-finals of the 2019 BWF World Championships, where she went on to win the gold medal. Also Read - IND vs ENG, 3rd ODI: When and where to watch live streaming in India? With this win, Sindhu became the first Indian badminton player to reach the Japan Open final. She is also the only Indian left in the tournament. India had a disappointing campaign otherwise, with Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty losing in the opening round. The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty retired due to injury in their first match, while the mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals. With inputs from agencies

PV Sindhu delivered an outstanding performance to defeat her long-time rival Chen Yufei and book her place in the final of the Japan Open 2026.

Japan Open 2026: PV Sindhu reaches maiden Super 750 final

PV Sindhu reached the semifinals of the Japan Open 2026 in Tokyo on Friday (Jul 17) after Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara pulled out of their quarterfinal match. The Indian star has now reached her third semifinal of the season after earlier making the last four at the Malaysia Super 1000 and Australia Super 500 tournaments. This is also Sindhu’s first Super 750 semifinal since the 2023 Denmark Open.&nbsp;The 31-year-old will now face China’s Chen Yufei, the Tokyo Olympic champion and world No. 4, as she looks to win her first title of the season. Sindhu trails Chen 6-8 in their overall head-to-head record.&nbsp;Chen has beaten Sindhu in each of their last five meetings, giving the Indian a chance to end that run. A win would also take Sindhu to her first Super 750 final in nearly three years.&nbsp;Earlier, she booked her place in the quarterfinals with a convincing 21-16, 21-14 victory over world No. 5 Han Yue of China in just 35 minutes.&nbsp;Chen, 28, has been in excellent form this season. She won the Indonesia Masters and finished runner-up at the Thailand and Malaysia Super 500 events.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-superstitious-argentina-president-javier-milei-will-not-attend-world-cup-final-against-spain-1784269791781">FIFA 2026 | 'Superstitious' Argentina president Javier Milei will not attend world cup final against Spain</a>&nbsp;She has also reached the semifinals of the Singapore Open, India Open, Malaysia Open and the All England Championships.&nbsp;India’s campaign in the other events came to an end, as in mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 20-22, 17-21 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the pre-quarterfinals.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-argentina-vs-spain-canada-wildfires-cause-new-york-area-air-quality-to-deteriorate-ahead-of-final-1784261614068">FIFA, Argentina vs Spain: New York area air quality deteriorates ahead of final</a>&nbsp;In women’s singles, Unnati Hooda was knocked out by Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Hsun despite taking the second game.&nbsp;India had already exited the men’s doubles competition on Tuesday. Both Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan, lost in the opening round, with Satwik and Chirag also facing another injury setback.

The 31-year-old will now face China’s Chen Yufei, the Tokyo Olympic champion and world No. 4, as she looks to win her first title of the season. Sindhu trails Chen 6-8 in their overall head-to-head record.

PV Sindhu reached the semifinals of the Japan Open 2026 in Tokyo on Friday (Jul 17) after Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara pulled out of their quarterfinal match. The Indian star has now reached her third semifinal of the season after earlier making the last four at the Malaysia Super 1000 and Australia Super 500 tournaments. This is also Sindhu’s first Super 750 semifinal since the 2023 Denmark Open. The 31-year-old will now face China’s Chen Yufei, the Tokyo Olympic champion and world No. 4, as she looks to win her first title of the season. Sindhu trails Chen 6-8 in their overall head-to-head record. Chen has beaten Sindhu in each of their last five meetings, giving the Indian a chance to end that run. A win would also take Sindhu to her first Super 750 final in nearly three years. Earlier, she booked her place in the quarterfinals with a convincing 21-16, 21-14 victory over world No. 5 Han Yue of China in just 35 minutes. Chen, 28, has been in excellent form this season. She won the Indonesia Masters and finished runner-up at the Thailand and Malaysia Super 500 events. Also Read - FIFA 2026 | 'Superstitious' Argentina president Javier Milei will not attend world cup final against Spain She has also reached the semifinals of the Singapore Open, India Open, Malaysia Open and the All England Championships. India’s campaign in the other events came to an end, as in mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 20-22, 17-21 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the pre-quarterfinals. Also Read - FIFA, Argentina vs Spain: New York area air quality deteriorates ahead of final In women’s singles, Unnati Hooda was knocked out by Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Hsun despite taking the second game. India had already exited the men’s doubles competition on Tuesday. Both Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan, lost in the opening round, with Satwik and Chirag also facing another injury setback.

The 31-year-old will now face China’s Chen Yufei, the Tokyo Olympic champion and world No. 4, as she looks to win her first title of the season. Sindhu trails Chen 6-8 in their overall head-to-head record.

Japan Open 2026: PV Sindhu storms into semifinals

India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu continued her impressive run at the Daihatsu Japan Open 2026, a BWF Super 750 tournament, by defeating World No. 5 Han Yue in straight games on Thursday (Jul 16). With the victory, the two-time Olympic medallist and five-time BWF World Championships medallist moved into the quarterfinals, where she will face Japan’s former World No. 1 Nozomi Okuhara on Friday for a place in the semifinals.&nbsp;Sindhu, who had a favourable head-to-head record against Han Yue, recovered well after the early exchanges in the opening game and went on to win it 21-16. She then dominated the second game, racing to an 8-0 lead before sealing a comfortable 21-14 victory. The match lasted just 35 minutes.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-watch-bellingham-loses-cool-taps-argentine-player-on-head-after-loss-1784186899416">FIFA 2026 | Bellingham loses cool, taps Argentine player on head after loss - WATCH</a>&nbsp;This is Sindhu’s sixth quarterfinal appearance of the season. She had earlier reached the last eight at the Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore Opens, while making the semifinals in Malaysia and Australia.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-argentina-wave-malvinas-banner-and-fifa-might-reprimand-them-for-it-1784178896206">FIFA 2026 | Argentina wave 'Malvinas' banner &amp; FIFA might reprimand them for it</a>&nbsp;In mixed doubles, India’s campaign came to an end as Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 22-20, 21-17 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the Round of 16.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

PV Sindhu advanced to the Japan Open 2026 quarterfinals with a commanding straight-games victory over world No. 5 Han Yue, emerging as India's only remaining contender in the tournament. She will next face Nozomi Okuhara.

India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu continued her impressive run at the Daihatsu Japan Open 2026, a BWF Super 750 tournament, by defeating World No. 5 Han Yue in straight games on Thursday (Jul 16). With the victory, the two-time Olympic medallist and five-time BWF World Championships medallist moved into the quarterfinals, where she will face Japan’s former World No. 1 Nozomi Okuhara on Friday for a place in the semifinals. Sindhu, who had a favourable head-to-head record against Han Yue, recovered well after the early exchanges in the opening game and went on to win it 21-16. She then dominated the second game, racing to an 8-0 lead before sealing a comfortable 21-14 victory. The match lasted just 35 minutes. Also Read - FIFA 2026 | Bellingham loses cool, taps Argentine player on head after loss - WATCH This is Sindhu’s sixth quarterfinal appearance of the season. She had earlier reached the last eight at the Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore Opens, while making the semifinals in Malaysia and Australia. Also Read - FIFA 2026 | Argentina wave 'Malvinas' banner & FIFA might reprimand them for it In mixed doubles, India’s campaign came to an end as Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 22-20, 21-17 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the Round of 16. With inputs from agencies

PV Sindhu advanced to the Japan Open 2026 quarterfinals with a commanding straight-games victory over world No. 5 Han Yue, emerging as India's only remaining contender in the tournament. She will next face Nozomi Okuhara.

Japan Open 2026: PV Sindhu storms into quarter-finals with straight-sets win

India suffered a disappointing day at the Japan Open 2026 as Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda and Lakshya Sen were all knocked out in the opening round in Tokyo on Wednesday (Jul 15). Ayush Shetty put up a strong fight against second seed and former world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn but lost 19-21, 25-23, 15-21 in a hard-fought men’s singles match that lasted 82 minutes.&nbsp;World No. 24 Unnati Hooda also bowed out after suffering a 21-16, 16-21, 15-21 defeat to Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Hsun. It was her second straight loss against the same opponent.&nbsp;Lakshya Sen, the former All England Championships runner-up, was beaten 16-21, 14-21 by Japan’s Koki Watanabe in just 38 minutes. With the win, Watanabe improved his head-to-head record against the Indian to 4-3.&nbsp;The three first-round exits made it a disappointing day for India, especially with the country set to host the BWF World Championships in New Delhi next month for the first time in 17 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are now India’s only players left in the USD 950,000 tournament.&nbsp;Sindhu will take on China’s fifth seed Han Yue in the second round, while Dhruv and Tanisha will face top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping on Thursday.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-wc-2026-argentina-vs-england-sf-when-and-where-to-watch-live-streaming-in-india-1784109849959">FIFA WC 2026, Argentina vs England SF: When and where to watch live streaming in India?</a>&nbsp;The 21-year-old, Ayush, entered the match with confidence after defeating Kunlavut during his run to the Asia Championships final earlier this year. However, the Thai star, a three-time world junior champion, proved too strong this time.&nbsp;Ayush made a good start and led 7-4 in the opening game, but Kunlavut fought back to take a 12-9 lead. The Indian reduced the gap to 13-12, but the Thai moved ahead 19-16.&nbsp;Ayush saved three points in a row to make it close before Kunlavut wrapped up the first game.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-iran-congratulates-spain-for-semi-final-win-and-for-standing-on-the-right-side-of-history-1784106740908">FIFA | Iran congratulates Spain for SF win, 'standing on right side of history'</a>&nbsp;The second game was equally competitive. Kunlavut led early, but Ayush went into the mid-game break with a narrow 11-10 advantage. Later, the Thai earned four match points, but Ayush showed great determination and won a tense rally to level the match.&nbsp;In the deciding game, however, Ayush could not keep up the momentum. Kunlavut quickly took control with an 8-5 lead, extended it to 14-8 and comfortably sealed the match to reach the second round.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

It was a disappointing day for India at the Japan Open 2026 as Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda and Lakshya Sen were all knocked out of the tournament.

India suffered a disappointing day at the Japan Open 2026 as Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda and Lakshya Sen were all knocked out in the opening round in Tokyo on Wednesday (Jul 15). Ayush Shetty put up a strong fight against second seed and former world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn but lost 19-21, 25-23, 15-21 in a hard-fought men’s singles match that lasted 82 minutes. World No. 24 Unnati Hooda also bowed out after suffering a 21-16, 16-21, 15-21 defeat to Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Hsun. It was her second straight loss against the same opponent. Lakshya Sen, the former All England Championships runner-up, was beaten 16-21, 14-21 by Japan’s Koki Watanabe in just 38 minutes. With the win, Watanabe improved his head-to-head record against the Indian to 4-3. The three first-round exits made it a disappointing day for India, especially with the country set to host the BWF World Championships in New Delhi next month for the first time in 17 years. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are now India’s only players left in the USD 950,000 tournament. Sindhu will take on China’s fifth seed Han Yue in the second round, while Dhruv and Tanisha will face top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping on Thursday. Also Read - FIFA WC 2026, Argentina vs England SF: When and where to watch live streaming in India? The 21-year-old, Ayush, entered the match with confidence after defeating Kunlavut during his run to the Asia Championships final earlier this year. However, the Thai star, a three-time world junior champion, proved too strong this time. Ayush made a good start and led 7-4 in the opening game, but Kunlavut fought back to take a 12-9 lead. The Indian reduced the gap to 13-12, but the Thai moved ahead 19-16. Ayush saved three points in a row to make it close before Kunlavut wrapped up the first game. Also Read - FIFA | Iran congratulates Spain for SF win, 'standing on right side of history' The second game was equally competitive. Kunlavut led early, but Ayush went into the mid-game break with a narrow 11-10 advantage. Later, the Thai earned four match points, but Ayush showed great determination and won a tense rally to level the match. In the deciding game, however, Ayush could not keep up the momentum. Kunlavut quickly took control with an 8-5 lead, extended it to 14-8 and comfortably sealed the match to reach the second round. With inputs from agencies

It was a disappointing day for India at the Japan Open 2026 as Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda and Lakshya Sen were all knocked out of the tournament.

Japan Open 2026: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty & Unnati Hooda knocked out on Day 2

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy’s ongoing shoulder injury cut short India’s campaign in the men’s doubles at the Japan Open on Tuesday, as he and Chirag Shetty retired from their opening-round match. In contrast, P V Sindhu made a confident start to her campaign, cruising into the second round with a straight-game win over Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching.The fourth-seeded Indian duo, who ended a two-year title drought by winning the Singapore Open earlier this season, were forced to withdraw after losing the opening game 19-21 to Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard. The pair had also pulled out of the Indonesia Open last month due to Satwik’s shoulder issue.&nbsp;India’s chief doubles coach Tan Kim Her confirmed that Satwik and Chirag will skip next week’s China Open as they focus on regaining full fitness ahead of the BWF World Championships, which will be held in India in August.&nbsp;“It still needs some time to recover. We have at least four weeks to get back in shape ahead of World Championships," Tan told PTI.&nbsp;Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu enjoyed a comfortable outing against world No. 37 Wong, winning 21-14, 21-11 to book her place in the second round of the BWF Super 750 event.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-is-kylian-mbappe-fit-for-the-semifinal-clash-against-spain-1784024658952">FIFA World Cup 2026: Is Kylian Mbappe fit for the semifinal clash against Spain?</a>&nbsp;Sindhu looked in control from the very beginning, taking charge of the rallies to open up a 7-4 lead. Wong struggled to keep pace as couple of errors helped the Indian extend her advantage to 11-6 at the mid-game interval.&nbsp;The former world champion mixed aggressive smashes with delicate net play, stretching the lead to 14-9. Although she made a few unforced mistakes, but Wong failed to capitalise, as she wrapped up the opening game.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-suffers-major-blow-as-jude-bellingham-s-england-heroics-change-everything-1783995433295">Messi overtaken! Jude Bellingham's England masterclass shakes up FIFA rankings</a>&nbsp;The Indian continued her dominance after the break, racing to an 8-2 lead before taking an 11-3 cushion into the interval. Wong found it difficult to match Sindhu’s consistency as the lead grew to 16-5.&nbsp;The Malaysian briefly reduced the lead with three successive points, but Sindhu quickly regained control, while, Wong eventually hit a smash into the net to hand the Indian 10 match points.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sindhu missed the first before Wong found the net again, sealing a convincing straight-games victory for the Indian.&nbsp;Meanwhile, India’s mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also progressed after defeating Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Julie Macpherson 21-16, 21-14.&nbsp;However, Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde bowed out in the opening round after a 11-21, 10-21 defeat to China’s top-seeded combination of Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping.&nbsp;Later on Tuesday, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun were scheduled to face Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the men’s doubles opening round.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

PV Sindhu began her Japan Open 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, defeating Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in straight games (21-14, 21-11) to book her place in the women's singles second round on Tuesday.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy’s ongoing shoulder injury cut short India’s campaign in the men’s doubles at the Japan Open on Tuesday, as he and Chirag Shetty retired from their opening-round match. In contrast, P V Sindhu made a confident start to her campaign, cruising into the second round with a straight-game win over Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching. The fourth-seeded Indian duo, who ended a two-year title drought by winning the Singapore Open earlier this season, were forced to withdraw after losing the opening game 19-21 to Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard. The pair had also pulled out of the Indonesia Open last month due to Satwik’s shoulder issue. India’s chief doubles coach Tan Kim Her confirmed that Satwik and Chirag will skip next week’s China Open as they focus on regaining full fitness ahead of the BWF World Championships, which will be held in India in August. “It still needs some time to recover. We have at least four weeks to get back in shape ahead of World Championships," Tan told PTI. Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu enjoyed a comfortable outing against world No. 37 Wong, winning 21-14, 21-11 to book her place in the second round of the BWF Super 750 event. Also Read - FIFA World Cup 2026: Is Kylian Mbappe fit for the semifinal clash against Spain? Sindhu looked in control from the very beginning, taking charge of the rallies to open up a 7-4 lead. Wong struggled to keep pace as couple of errors helped the Indian extend her advantage to 11-6 at the mid-game interval. The former world champion mixed aggressive smashes with delicate net play, stretching the lead to 14-9. Although she made a few unforced mistakes, but Wong failed to capitalise, as she wrapped up the opening game. Also Read - Messi overtaken! Jude Bellingham's England masterclass shakes up FIFA rankings The Indian continued her dominance after the break, racing to an 8-2 lead before taking an 11-3 cushion into the interval. Wong found it difficult to match Sindhu’s consistency as the lead grew to 16-5. The Malaysian briefly reduced the lead with three successive points, but Sindhu quickly regained control, while, Wong eventually hit a smash into the net to hand the Indian 10 match points. Sindhu missed the first before Wong found the net again, sealing a convincing straight-games victory for the Indian. Meanwhile, India’s mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also progressed after defeating Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Julie Macpherson 21-16, 21-14. However, Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde bowed out in the opening round after a 11-21, 10-21 defeat to China’s top-seeded combination of Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping. Later on Tuesday, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun were scheduled to face Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the men’s doubles opening round. With inputs from agencies

PV Sindhu began her Japan Open 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, defeating Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in straight games (21-14, 21-11) to book her place in the women's singles second round on Tuesday.

Japan Open 2026: Sindhu off to winning start, Satwik-Chirag pull out

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