Akane Yamaguchi‘s march through 2026 continued unabated on Saturday.

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.

“I was quite disappointed, so I didn’t think I’d make it back to another final so quickly,” she said. “But by focusing on each match from the very first round, I’m happy to have reached the final.”

Yamaguchi said the experience of beating Wang in Singapore gave her some confidence but stressed that execution mattered more than history.

“Whether I can play well or not depends on my condition and overall form at the time,” she said, adding the windy conditions required careful tactical planning. “It was probably an even closer match than it was back then.”

She also acknowledged the significance of defeating Wang on home soil.

“Of course I’m happy to avenge last year’s loss but she’s still someone I see as a player I can challenge. Being able to play freely without holding back was what led to this win.”

Despite two demanding weeks of competition, the 29-year-old believes she is well placed ahead of her title defence at next month’s World Championships in New Delhi, India.

Asked if she is approaching her top form, the world No.3 responded: “I don’t think I’m at my absolute best yet but I do think I’m in very good form.”

Standing between Yamaguchi and another title is Chen Yu Fei, whom she leads 23-14 in their career meetings. Yamaguchi also won their only clash this season in the Thailand Open final.

Chen advanced by defeating Tomoka Miyazaki 21-17 21-15.