Reigning world champion PV Sindhu kept alive India’s hopes of an Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020 by reaching the semi-finals of the women’s singles with a commanding win over world No 5 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi in Tokyo on Friday.

The 26-year-old Indian, who won a silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, played an all-round game and held her nerve at the end to save two game points and grab the match. She defended brilliantly and rode on her attacking all-round game to down fourth-seeded Yamaguchi 21-13, 22-20 in a 56-minute quarterfinal clash.

Tokyo 2020, badminton: PV Sindhu showcased her transformation in superb win over Akane Yamaguchi

She will next face Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying in a blockbuster semi-final clash.