Lakshya Sen Falls Short Against Li Shi Feng in Thomas Cup Finals

In a gripping match at the Thomas Cup Finals, Lakshya Sen fought valiantly but ultimately fell to world No. 7 Li Shi Feng. After a promising start, Lakshya couldn't maintain his momentum, leading to a 0-1 deficit for India against China. The match featured intense rallies and strategic plays, showcasing both players' skills. With the pressure now on India's doubles team to level the tie, fans are eager to see how the remaining matches unfold. Discover the key moments from this thrilling encounter and what lies ahead for the Indian team.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 29, 2026, 16:22 IST

Lakshya Sen's Tough Match Against Li Shi Feng

In a challenging encounter, Lakshya Sen faced off against world No. 7 Li Shi Feng, ultimately losing in three games, which left India trailing 0-1 against China in their final Group A match of the Thomas Cup Finals on Wednesday.

Despite having previously defeated Li during his runner-up performance at the All England Championships last month, Lakshya struggled to find his rhythm this time, finishing with scores of 19-21, 21-8, and 12-21.

India's hopes now rest on the shoulders of the world No. 4 doubles team, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who are set to compete against the world No. 5 pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.

Additionally, Ayush Shetty will be up against Weng Hong Yang, while the doubles duo of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun will take on He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu.

Match Highlights: Lakshya vs Li

Starting the match trailing 3-6, Lakshya showcased a mix of strategic cross-court slices and powerful smashes to recover, but Li capitalized on a few weak lifts to take a narrow lead of 10-8 into the break.

After the interval, Lakshya managed to erase the deficit and briefly led 14-13, but the game turned into a tense battle, with both players tied at 19-19 before Li secured the final two points to win the first game.

The second game saw Lakshya dominate, jumping to a 5-0 lead and extending it to 11-2, largely due to Li's unforced errors, allowing the Indian player to push the match into a deciding game.

In the final game, Lakshya fell behind 1-4 but fought back to level at 7-7. However, Li regained control after the interval, forcing errors from Lakshya and building a lead.

Although Lakshya threatened at 10-12 with a well-placed cross-court return, he struggled with his smashes, allowing Li to extend his lead to 17-12. Li then earned eight match points and clinched victory with a precise cross-court smash.