PV Sindhu Crashes Out Of Australian Open Semis, Yamaguchi Marches Into Final

Published 13 June 2026 · sports

PV Sindhu Crashes Out Of Australian Open Semis, Yamaguchi Marches Into Final Published By, Last Updated: June 13, 2026, 13:11 IST PV Sindhu's Australian Open

PV Sindhu Crashes Out Of Australian Open Semis, Yamaguchi Marches Into Final Published By, Last Updated: June 13, 2026, 13:11 IST PV Sindhu's Australian Open 2026 campaign ended in the semifinals after a straight-games defeat to world champion Akane Yamaguchi, who advanced to her fourth straight final. Rapid Read PV Sindhu (X) India’s challenge at the Australian Open 2026 came to an end on Saturday as PV Sindhu suffered a straight-games defeat to reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s singles semifinals in Sydney. The top-seeded Japanese star prevailed 22-20, 21-12 to book her place in Sunday’s final, while extending her recent dominance over Sindhu in a rivalry that has increasingly tilted in her favour. The result means Sindhu has now lost five of her last six meetings against Yamaguchi.

Sindhu Starts Strong But Misses Her Chance For much of the opening game, Sindhu looked capable of turning the tide. The former world champion controlled proceedings early, using her attacking game effectively and finding sharp angles from the back court. However, Yamaguchi gradually wrestled back control by varying the pace of rallies and forcing Sindhu into uncomfortable positions around the court. Despite surrendering her advantage, Sindhu remained in the fight until the closing stages. She saved a game point to level the score at 20-20 and briefly threatened to steal the opener, but a couple of untimely errors allowed Yamaguchi to edge ahead and claim the crucial first game. Yamaguchi Takes Complete Control The second game proved far more one-sided. Sindhu attempted to raise the tempo, but Yamaguchi responded with a relentless run of points that effectively put the contest beyond reach.

After overturning an early deficit, the Japanese shuttler surged into a commanding lead and never looked back. By the time Yamaguchi raced to 18-9, the outcome was all but decided. She eventually sealed victory when Sindhu sent her final return into the net. Another Semifinal Exit For Sindhu While the defeat extends Sindhu’s wait for a final appearance this season, the tournament still represents another encouraging week for the Indian star. The world No. 10 was playing only her second semifinal of the 2026 BWF World Tour season after reaching the last four at the Malaysia Open earlier this year. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Siddarth Sriram After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas.