PV Sindhu's top five rivals in women's singles badminton at Asian Games 2026
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Sindhu will look to win her maiden gold medal at the Asian Games 2026.
PV Sindhu has entered the women’s singles competition at the Asian Games 2026 with a wealth of experience.
The two-time Olympic medallist won a historic silver at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, becoming the first Indian badminton player to reach the singles final. She also reached the quarterfinals at the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
The individual badminton events will be held from September 25 to 29 at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, with Sindhu among 35 entries in the women’s singles draw.
The field features several of the biggest names in women’s badminton. Here are the five players who could pose the biggest challenge to PV Sindhu.
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Here are PV Sindhu’s top five rivals at Asian Games 2026
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5. Tomoka Miyazaki
Japan’s young star Tomoka Miyazaki could be one of the most interesting challengers in the field. The 20-year-old has rapidly established herself among the leading players and was ranked seventh in the world on September 15.
Miyazaki reached the semifinals of the China Open and then produced another impressive run at the China Masters, defeating Wang Zhiyi 21-19, 23-21 in the semifinal before finishing runner-up to An Se-young.
Her recent form makes her a player Sindhu cannot afford to overlook. Sindhu leads the head-to-head record 2-1 and has won both of their last two encounters.
With An Se-young, Wang Zhiyi, Chen Yufei, Akane Yamaguchi and Tomoka Miyazaki all in the field, Sindhu’s path to the podium will feature several familiar and emerging threats.
4. Akane Yamaguchi
Sindhu and Akane Yamaguchi share one of the most familiar rivalries in women’s badminton. Sindhu currently leads their overall head-to-head 16-14.
The Japanese star, however, has also enjoyed plenty of success against Sindhu over the years. Their latest meeting produced a different result, with Sindhu defeating Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the final of the 2026 Japan Open.
Subsequently, Yamaguchi reached the finals of the China Open and the World Championships, proving that she remains a strong contender.
3. Chen Yufei
Former Olympic champion Chen Yufei is another major name in the field. The Chinese star leads Sindhu 9-7 in their career head-to-head, although Sindhu has also enjoyed important victories over her in the past.
Chen remains a key figure on the international stage. She reached the final of the China Open in July, where she lost to Akane Yamaguchi after defeating Miyazaki in the semifinals. With her experience at major tournaments, Chen could be one of Sindhu’s toughest potential opponents.
2. Wang Zhiyi
China’s Wang Zhiyi has also enjoyed a strong rivalry with Sindhu. Wang leads their head-to-head 6-3 and defeated the Indian in three games at the 2026 World Championships.
The Chinese shuttler’s presence will be particularly important given China’s strong representation in the draw. She is also coming off a semifinal appearance at the China Open and the World Championships.
Sindhu will need to be prepared for Wang’s consistency and play at a considerably high level to win.
1. An Se-young
South Korea’s An Se-young remains one of the biggest names in the draw. She has a particularly difficult recent record against Sindhu, having won all ten of their previous meetings.
An also defeated Tomoka Miyazaki in the final of the China Masters earlier this month, winning 21-17, 21-6. Her consistency and ability to sustain pressure through long rallies make her a major threat.
The Korean is therefore likely to be one of the key players Sindhu will have to navigate if she wants to make a deep run.
Who has the most dominant head-to-head record against PV Sindhu in the draw?
South Korea’s An Se-young has won all ten of her previous meetings against Sindhu, making her one of the toughest challenges in the women’s singles draw.
When will PV Sindhu compete in the women’s singles event at the Asian Games 2026?
The individual badminton events, including women’s singles, will be held from September 25 to 29 at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium.
What was PV Sindhu’s best previous result at the Asian Games?
Sindhu won a historic silver medal at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, becoming the first Indian badminton player to reach the singles final.
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