China Open: Yamaguchi’s Constant Excellence
Akane Yamaguchi's march through 2026 continued unabated on Saturday.
· PREM KUMAR
At the Changzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, the Japanese star booked her place in a sixth consecutive final with a 21-10 6-21 21-16 victory over two-time defending champion Wang Zhi Yi at VICTOR China Open 2026.
The win marked Yamaguchi's second straight win over Wang after she snapped a six-match losing run against the world No.2 at the Singapore Open in May. It also avenged last year's semifinal defeat to Wang at the same venue.
After falling short to Pusarla V. Sindhu in her home Japan Open final last week, Yamaguchi admitted she did not expect to bounce back so soon.