Indian shuttlers were left disappointed

In a 43-minute semifinal clash, world No.10 PV Sindhu went down fighting against Japan’s star shuttler Akane Yamaguchi, losing 20–22, 12–21 in straight games at the Australian Open. The first game saw a strong start from Sindhu, who even led at the mid-game break and saved a match point at 19–20, but Yamaguchi staged a late comeback to take the game 22–20.

In the second game, Yamaguchi dominated completely, racing to an early 7-point lead and maintaining control to seal the match 21–12. With this result, Sindhu’s 2026 BWF World Tour campaign continues a mixed run, while India’s challenge at the tournament ended as no singles player advanced past the first round and the men’s doubles pair exited earlier.