Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and the mixed doubles duo Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto have progressed to the second round of the Japan Open 2026 after securing straight-game victories in their opening matches at the BWF Super 750 tournament in Tokyo. Sindhu defeated Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching 21-14, 21-11 in a swift 36-minute match to kick off her campaign confidently. Meanwhile, Kapila and Crasto also advanced with a 21-16, 21-14 win over Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Julie Macpherson.
Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, however, were eliminated in the mixed doubles category after a defeat of 11-21, 10-21 against top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping of China. In the men’s doubles event, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun fought back to claim the second game but eventually lost 13-21, 21-17, 7-21 to Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also exited in the opening round, retiring against Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard following the first game due to Satwik’s recurring shoulder injury. The injury setback has ruled the pair out of the upcoming China Open as they focus on preparing for the BWF World Championships in India next month.
The tournament, with a prize purse of USD 950,000, is a significant event on the BWF World Tour, offering players crucial ranking points ahead of the World Championships in New Delhi and the Asian Games later this year. Notable players in the competition include Shi Yu Qi, Anders Antonsen, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, and Kodai Naraoka in men’s singles, and An Se Young, Wang Zhi Yi, Chen Yu Fei, and Akane Yamaguchi in women’s singles.
India, yet to secure a Japan Open title, aims to break the drought and gain momentum for the major badminton events in 2026.
