India’s star shuttler P. V. Sindhu progressed to the semifinals of the Malaysia Open Super 1000 in Kuala Lumpur on Friday after her quarterfinal opponent, Akane Yamaguchi, was forced to retire due to injury concerns.
Sindhu, a former world champion and two-time Olympic medallist, was firmly in control of the contest before the unfortunate ending. Returning to competitive action after a long injury layoff, the Indian shuttler dominated the opening game, winning it comfortably 21-11 against Yamaguchi, the reigning world champion and current World No. 3.
Yamaguchi entered the match with visible fitness issues, wearing a knee brace, and struggled to match Sindhu’s intensity and court coverage. After the conclusion of the first game, the Japanese shuttler assessed her condition and decided she could not continue, handing Sindhu a place in the semifinals.
The result marks a significant milestone for Sindhu, who has reached the Malaysia Open semifinals for the first time in eight years. The achievement underlines her steady return to form following injury setbacks and offers encouragement ahead of tougher challenges in the latter stages of the tournament.
Sindhu will now face either Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani, the sixth seed, or second-seeded Chinese shuttler Wang Zhi Yi in the semifinals. Both potential opponents present contrasting challenges, but Sindhu’s commanding performance in the quarterfinal suggests she is building momentum at the right time in one of badminton’s most prestigious events.
The Malaysia Open Super 1000 tournament is one of the highest-tier events on the Badminton World Federation circuit, regularly featuring the world’s top-ranked players. Sindhu’s deep run adds to India’s strong presence at the tournament and keeps hopes alive for a title challenge.
Later on Friday, India will also be represented in the men’s doubles quarterfinals, with the country’s premier pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty set to take the court. The duo will face Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, the sixth-seeded pair, in what promises to be a high-intensity clash.
With Sindhu safely through to the semifinals and the men’s doubles pair still in contention, Friday shapes up as an important day for Indian badminton in Kuala Lumpur. The focus will now be on whether Sindhu can continue her impressive comeback and push for a place in the final of the Malaysia Open after nearly a decade-long wait.
