Akane Yamaguchi’s remarkable month-long surge shows no signs of slowing as the Japanese top seed booked her fourth consecutive final with a 22-20 21-12 victory over Pusarla V. Sindhu at SATHIO GROUP Australian Open 2026 on Saturday.
The three-time world champion, who lifted the Thailand Open title four weeks ago before finishing runner-up to world No.1 An Se Young at the Singapore and Indonesia Opens, continued her impressive form in Sydney without dropping a game all week. Her latest win also extended an unbeaten streak against Pusarla dating back to 2022.
After surviving a close opening game, Yamaguchi tightened her grip on the contest with her trademark defensive excellence.
“My defence worked so I was able to effectively utilise that,” she said.
The 29-year-old also revealed a tactical adjustment that has paid dividends in recent weeks.
“Recently, I’ve been aiming for the body to induce errors. That has been working so I made use of the body shot.”
With another title opportunity awaiting, Yamaguchi is eager to continue her upward trajectory.
“Recently, my play has been improving and my results are gradually getting better, so I’m looking forward to playing another final tomorrow,” she said, adding: “Of course I’m tired but I don’t think my condition is bad either.”
Standing between Yamaguchi and the title is Pornpawee Chochuwong, who denied an all-Japanese final by overcoming 2017 champion Nozomi Okuhara 21-18 11-21 21-12 in 66 minutes.
The second seed will contest her first final since finishing runner-up at the Thailand Open in May last year and keeps alive Thailand’s quest for a maiden Australian Open women’s singles champion. The nation’s last finalist in the discipline was Nitchaon Jindapol in 2013.
“I just focused on my good points, and no matter what, I fight on court,” Chochuwong told Badminton Oceania. “In the last few months, maybe my confidence wasn’t quite there because I was just coming back from injury. Today, I had more belief in my body and that helped me take the win.
“I wanted to fight because everyone knows Nozomi is a world champion. She never gives up, so I had to do the same.”
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
- World No.1 mixed pair Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping were pushed by Americans Presley Smith/Jennie Gai to three games before reaching their first final since January’s Malaysia Open.
- Jia Yi Fan/Zhang Shu Xian ended Rachel Allessya Rose/Febi Setianingrum’s reign. They face last year’s runners-up Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma/Meilysa Trias Puspitasari for the women’s doubles crown.
- It will be the season’s first men’s doubles title bout for Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani after the Indonesians came through a 21-18 19-21 23-21 thriller against Chen Cheng Kuan/Liu Kuang Heng of Chinese Taipei.
- In men’s singles, promoted Dong Tian Yao is one match from completing a fairytale week. The Chinese youngster defeated Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah 21-19 9-21 21-18 to set up a final against third seed Alwi Farhan.
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