PV Sindhu admitted she had tears in her eyes after ending her long wait for a major BWF World Tour title, revealing that her Japan Open triumph was as much a victory over self-doubt and public scrutiny as it was over home favourite Akane Yamaguchi.
The former world champion, who defeated World No. 3 Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in Sunday's final, said she never stopped believing she could return to the top despite persistent questions about whether her best days were behind her.
The victory marked Sindhu's first Super 750 title since 2018 and her biggest World Tour crown in nearly eight years, capping a resurgence built on patience, belief and a renewed mental approach.
"Actually I had tears in my eyes because it was very, very important for me to win.
I was really focusing hard and working hard on myself. I kept believing that I can do it," Sindhu said after the final.
The 31-year-old acknowledged that many had begun to question whether she could return to title-winning form after an inconsistent spell on the tour.
"A lot of people were like, 'What's happening? Is it done?' But I still believed in myself and my family and my coaches, my support staff. "
Sindhu also credited her support system for helping her through the difficult period, thanking her coaches Wayne Young, Hira, Shreyasi and Irvanshah, along with both sides of her family and her husband.
"They were always there throughout, no matter what, even at my lows. So, yeah, it was very, very important for me. "
She believes the title can now serve as a confidence boost heading into the remainder of the season.
"This will definitely give me a lot of confidence. I need to keep up the same tempo, maintain the same calmness and stay confident. That is the aim. "
"Every point mattered": The mental change behind Sindhu's Japan Open triumph
While the result ended an eight-year wait for a Super 750 title, Sindhu revealed the biggest difference between this tournament and previous near-misses was her ability to stay composed rather than chase quick winners.
She admitted that protecting leads has been an area she has consciously worked on after previous matches slipped away from winning positions.
"There were games where I was leading and they changed the other way as well. After winning the first game especially, I just had to control and make sure that each point mattered to me a lot until the end. "
Even after establishing commanding leads in the second game, Sindhu refused to relax against one of the world's best players.
"With the top athletes, you cannot take it easy even though you are leading. It was very important that I maintained the same aggressiveness. "
She also revealed how her coach repeatedly reminded her to forget mistakes immediately instead of dwelling on them during the match.
"My coach was like, 'It's okay, just focus on the next point. ' I let go of what had happened and I was focusing on the next point. I think that made a difference. "
Although attacking badminton remains her greatest strength, Sindhu said reducing unforced errors was equally important in helping her control the contest.
"More of my strength is attack. Since I am moving well and I am attacking well, I think it's important for me to make sure I stop those unforced errors. Not making too many unforced errors definitely changes the game. "
That combination of self-belief and composure ultimately helped Sindhu secure one of the most significant victories of her career, signalling that the former world champion has firmly re-established herself among the elite of women's badminton.
