Lakshya Sen Leads India to Victory at BWF World Championships 2026

Lakshya Sen made a remarkable comeback at the BWF World Championships 2026, leading India to victory against Austria's Collins Valentine Filimon. The tournament, held in New Delhi, saw other Indian players like Unnati Hooda and the women's doubles team of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also advance. However, setbacks occurred for other doubles teams and mixed doubles pairs. With a strong start, India aims to maintain momentum as the competition progresses.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 18, 2026, 21:28 IST

Lakshya Sen's Impressive Comeback

On Day 2 of the BWF World Championships 2026, Lakshya Sen showcased a remarkable comeback, guiding India to victory by defeating Austria's Collins Valentine Filimon in a thrilling three-game match at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. After a slow start, Sen triumphed with scores of 16-21, 21-8, 21-4, advancing from the men's singles Round of 64.

Match Overview

Initially, Sen struggled against Filimon, trailing 11-10 at the halfway mark of the first game. Despite his efforts, he made several errors, allowing Filimon to secure the first game 21-16. However, Sen turned the tide in the second game, taking control after a 6-6 tie and winning decisively 21-8. In the final game, he dominated, racing to an 11-1 lead at the interval and finishing strong at 21-4.

Hooda and Doubles Success

In women's singles, Unnati Hooda also advanced, defeating Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar with scores of 22-20, 21-16. Hooda faced a tough challenge in the first game but held her composure to clinch it before dominating the second game.

In women's doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand progressed to the Round of 16 after a solid performance against the American duo Lauren Lam and Allison Lee, winning 21-15, 21-12.

Challenges in Doubles

Unfortunately, India's other women's doubles team, Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi, faced elimination in the Round of 32, losing to Bulgarian sisters Stefani and Gabriela Stoeva with scores of 7-21, 14-21. They had previously won against Spain's Nikol Carulla and Carmen Maria Jimenez.

Mixed Doubles Setbacks

India's mixed doubles campaign ended with two defeats. Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh, who entered as last-minute reserves, lost a nail-biting match to Turkiye's Emre Sonmez and Yesemen Bektas, with scores of 16-21, 30-29, and 24-22. The second game featured a rare Golden Point, showcasing the intensity of the match. Additionally, Ruthvika Gadde and Rohan Kapoor were eliminated after a close three-game match against Canada's Crystal Lai and Jonathan Lai.

Recap of India's Strong Start

India had a stellar opening day at the World Championships, with all five participants winning their Round of 64 matches. Notably, Ayush Shetty achieved a stunning victory over top seed Shi Yu Qi of China. Five-time world medallist PV Sindhu also secured a comfortable win against Ireland's Sophia Noble. The tournament, taking place in New Delhi from August 17 to 23, marks its return to India for the first time since 2009.