PV Sindhu eyes full recovery ahead of China Open 2026
(Courtesy : Badminton Photo)
The Japan Open title was Sindhu’s first title in nearly two years
India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu scripted history on Sunday by becoming the first Indian badminton player to win the Japan Open. She revealed that she will play her next match in three days and that recovery is now her priority after a nail-biting thriller against local favourite Akane Yamaguchi.
Sindhu combined aggressive stroke play with tactical strategy, and her calmness under pressure helped her beat Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17, ending the 31-year-old’s two-year title drought.
She will next play Unnati Hooda in the first round of the China Open, which began on Tuesday. However, Sindhu will be in action from Wednesday, getting much-needed rest on Monday and Tuesday, which will help her recover and travel from Japan to China.
“Recovery is extremely important, especially with consecutive matches ahead. My next match is on Wednesday, so the focus over the next two days will be on recovering properly, although I also have to manage travel,” Sindhu told reporters in an interaction held by the Badminton Association of India.
“After long matches, it takes time for the body to recover, and it’s crucial to ensure I am fully fit and ready to spend extended periods on court. Right now, recovery is my top priority, and I am working on getting stronger before the next match,” she added.
Sindhu acknowledged that she had been going through a lean patch for the last two years, dealing with niggles and injuries.
“It was quite a tough journey because I had some niggles and injuries. As an athlete, injuries do happen. It is part and parcel of life, so it’s very important to come back stronger, and it definitely took me some time,” she replied to a query from Khel Now in the interaction.
“I had some niggles, then I came back again, I was injured again, and then coming back to the rhythm was not easy,” she said.
Who did PV Sindhu defeat to win the 2026 Japan Open?
Sindhu defeated local favourite Akane Yamaguchi in straight games 21-17, 21-17 to lift the Japan Open title.
Why is the Japan Open title significant for PV Sindhu?
It is her maiden career title in the Super 750 level and also her first title in the BWF World Tour in nearly two years. The Japan Open title has also made Sindhu the oldest player to win the women’s singles title in BWF Super 750 events.
When will PV Sindhu be in action next?
Sindhu will be seen in action at the 2026 China Open, which will run from July 21 to 26.
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Namrata is a Delhi-based sports journalist who covers cricket, tennis, badminton, and a range of other sports. She has reported on major events including the T20 World Cup, ICC Women’s World Cup, IPL, and Wimbledon. Alongside handling live cricket coverage, she specialises in analytical and in-depth match stories. Over the years, Namrata has conducted exclusive interviews with some of India’s leading and emerging athletes, including shuttlers Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand, and Krishna Nagar, as well as cricketers Navdeep Saini and Sneh Rana.