Indian Lakshya Sen (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Lakshya Sen produced a blistering performance to book his place in the final of the All England Open Badminton Championships, becoming the second Indian player to reach the title fight twice after defeating Canada’s Victor Lai in the semi-finals on Saturday. The 24-year-old, who had previously reached the final in 2022, battled a determined opponent and a painful blister on his right toe to cruise to a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 victory in a contest that lasted an hour and 37 minutes. Sen’s achievement puts him in rare company alongside his mentor Prakash Padukone. The legendary Indian reached the final in 1980 and 1981, and became famous for winning the title in his first appearance in the championship match.
The semi-final match on Saturday turned into a test of endurance and flexibility for both players. Sin and Lai participated in several grueling rallies, some extending to over 50 rounds, where neither competitor was willing to concede. The opener remained closely contested until the score stood at 17-16 in favor of Sen. The Indian then changed his approach, claiming four straight points to win the first match. Lai responded strongly in the second match. The Canadian, who holds the distinction of being the first player from Canada to win a medal at a BWF World Championship, took an 11-7 lead midway through the match and maintained his advantage despite Sen tying the score at 16-16 while dealing with blisters.
In the end Lai forced the match into a playoff. In the final, Sen’s experience began to show. By mixing patience with calculated attacking shots, he built a healthy 15-9 lead. Lai continued to fight and cut the deficit to 17-15, but Sen finished strongly, taking four straight points to secure his place in the final. In the championship match, Sin Lin will face Chun Yi of Chinese Taipei. The left-hander, who recently won the Indian Open, qualified for the final after defeating second seeded Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-14, 18-21, 21-16 in a semi-final that lasted an hour and 18 minutes.