Australian Open 2026 semi-finals Highlights: PV Sindhu exits with straight game defeat in semis
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For only the second time this season, PV Sindhu will be in action in the semi-finals of a BWF tournament. Sindhu, who last reached a final in 2024, will face long-time rival Akane Yamaguchi in the semi-finals of the ongoing BWF Australian Open 2026 in Sydney.
The only other time Sindhu made the semis in the 2026 BWF season was at the Malaysia Open in January. The 30-year-old had overcome Yamaguchi in the quarters—thanks to a mid-match retirement from the Japanese while trailing—in the Super 1000 tournament before being beaten by Wang Zhi Yi.
They also faced each other at the Thailand Open in May, where the Japanese sent Sindhu packing in straight games in the quarter-finals.
In fact, Yamaguchi has won four of their last five meetings, the one in Sindhu’s favour being the retirement in Malaysia.
The Indian though leads head-to-head record with 15 wins to Yamaguchi’s 13. This is set to be their 29th meeting on tour. No player has Sindhu faced more in her career than the 29-year-old Japanese.
How PV Sindhu reached the semi-finals
World No. 10 PV Sindhu booked her place in the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2026, currently underway at the Quaycentre in Sydney with a dominant victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chen Su Yu.
In a match lasting just 27 minutes, the third-seeded Indian controlled both games from the beginning to seal a 21-6, 21-9 victory. The result marks Sindhu’s second semi-final appearance of the season, having previously reached the last four at the Malaysia Open 2026.
An interesting semi-final awaits Sindhu as the two-time Olympic medallist takes on top seed and three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi.
The clash will be the 29th meeting between the two, with Sindhu holding a 15-13 advantage in their head-to-head record. However, the Japanese has won four of their last five encounters.
Yamaguchi advanced to the semis with a 21-14, 21-14 victory over India’s Tanvi Sharma in 32 minutes.
In men’s doubles, the Indian pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun were forced to retire during the second game against opponents from Chinese Taipei.
Where and when will PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi semi-final match take place?
Sindhu’s clash against Yamaguchi will be played at the Quaycentre, Olympic Boulevard in Sydney. The match has a tentative start time of 10 am IST.
What is the overall head-to-head record between PV Sindhu and Akane Yamaguchi?
Sindhu leads the overall h2h with 15 wins while Yamaguchi is slightly behind at 13 victories.
What happened in the last five meetings between PV Sindhu and Akane Yamaguchi?
Yamaguchi has won four of the last five meetings against Sindhu. The Indian’s only victory came at the Malaysia Open, where the Japanese retired mid-match while trailing.
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Alex graduated in mass communication in 2016 and has been covering global sports for Khel Now since then. He is covering sports tech, igaming, sports betting and casino domain from 2017.