The Indian women’s badminton team’s campaign at the Asian Games 2026 came to an end in the quarterfinals after Japan secured a 3-1 victory at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya City on Tuesday.
India entered the knockout tie after defeating Kazakhstan 3-0 in the round of 16. Japan, however, won two of the opening three matches against India and then sealed the tie in the fourth rubber to advance to the next round.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu faced three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the opening women’s singles rubber.
took the first game 23-21 after recovering from a deficit during the contest. Yamaguchi responded by winning the second game 21-18 before taking the deciding game 21-11.
The Japanese player’s victory gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the quarterfinal.
Unnati Hooda was India’s second singles player and faced Tomoka Miyazaki. Hooda led 11-10 at the interval in the opening game, but Miyazaki recovered to win it 21-16. Hooda then established an 11-4 advantage in the second game, but Miyazaki turned the contest around and eventually won 21-18.
The straight-games victory put Japan 2-0 ahead and left India needing to win the remaining three rubbers to stay in the competition.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand then reduced the deficit for India in the first women’s doubles rubber.
The Indian pair defeated Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto 21-17, 21-16. Jolly and Gopichand won both games to give India their first point of the tie and make the score 2-1.
The Indian pair had entered the after winning a bronze medal at the World Championships. They were the only Indian combination to win against Japan in the quarterfinals.
Tanvi Sharma was then selected for India’s third women’s singles rubber against former world champion Nozomi Okuhara.
Okuhara won the opening game 21-12 and completed the match with a 21-10 victory in the second game. The straight-games result gave Japan an unassailable 3-1 lead and ended India’s campaign in the women’s team event.
The fifth rubber, involving India’s second women’s doubles combination, was therefore not required.
India had begun their Asian Games campaign with a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan. Sindhu defeated Kamila Smagulova 21-7, 21-9, Hooda beat Alissa Kuleshova 21-7, 21-10, and Sharma defeated Diana Namenova 21-5, 21-10.
The quarterfinal defeat means India will not advance to the women’s team medal rounds. India’s only previous medal in the Asian Games women’s team event was a bronze at the 2014 Games in Incheon.
