PV Sindhu Stuns World No. 5 Han Yue to Reach Japan Open Quarterfinals

PV Sindhu delivered one of her finest performances of the season, producing a clinical display to defeat world No. 5 Han Yue of China and book her place in the Japan Open Super 750 quarterfinals in Tokyo on Thursday.

The two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion needed just 35 minutes to register an impressive 21-16, 21-14 victory over the higher-ranked Chinese shuttler in the second round. The win underlined Sindhu's growing confidence as she continued her strong run in one of the biggest tournaments on the BWF calendar.

Ranked world No. 10 , Sindhu had a slow start to the opening game before finding her rhythm midway through. Once she settled into the contest, the Indian ace began striking the shuttle with precision, controlled the rallies, and steadily pulled away from Han to take the first game.

She carried that momentum into the second game, producing an attacking display that left her opponent with little room to respond. Sindhu raced to an 8-0 lead , maintaining complete control throughout before comfortably sealing the match in straight games.

The victory also strengthened Sindhu's dominance over Han Yue, improving her head-to-head record to 8-1 .

The 31-year-old will next face Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in the quarterfinals, setting up another chapter in one of women's badminton's familiar rivalries. Okuhara advanced after receiving a walkover when top seed An Se-young of South Korea withdrew from her second-round match.

Sindhu is now India's only remaining contender in the tournament after the mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila exited in the pre-quarterfinals. The Indian duo fought valiantly but went down 20-22, 17-21 against China's top-seeded pair Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in a closely contested 47-minute encounter.

With confidence building after a dominant victory over one of the world's top-ranked players, Sindhu will look to carry her momentum into the quarterfinals and move a step closer to another major international title.