Lakshya Sen's Tactical Shift Leads to Comeback Victory at BWF World Championships 2026

Sen's Remarkable Comeback

Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen attributed his comeback win against Austria's Collins Valentine Filimon at the BWF World Championships 2026 to a strategic adjustment and improved adaptation to the court's conditions. The match took place on Tuesday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

After losing the first game, Sen rallied to secure victory with scores of 16-21, 21-8, 21-4, completing the match in 45 minutes and advancing to the men's singles Round of 32.

Insights on Tactical Adjustments

Initially, Sen faced challenges as Filimon's height allowed him to effectively counter Sen's shorter shots. The Indian player struggled with his lifts, particularly from the side impacted by the drift.

"In the first set, my drives were too short, making it difficult to score points since he was able to handle those shots easily. I felt stuck, so I decided to open up my game in the second set by incorporating more lifts and engaging him in rallies, which allowed me to play my shots more freely," Sen explained to reporters post-match.

Filimon led 11-10 at the interval and took the first game 21-16. However, Sen changed his strategy after the break, quickly reversing the match's momentum.

"I made several errors in the first set, and my game plan was different then. I adjusted a few things in the second and third sets, leading to better results," he added.

Sen also noted that the windy conditions on the court contributed to his slow start. "I began on the side that was windy, making it tough to control the shuttle. Many of my lifts were too short. Once I switched to the better side in the second set, I could play my game more effectively," he stated.

This adjustment proved crucial as Sen surged to an 11-1 lead in the final game after winning the second set 21-8. He maintained his dominance and finished the match with a score of 21-4.

Mixed Results for India

Sen's victory was one of the highlights for India on a mixed second day at the home World Championships. Unnati Hooda also advanced in women's singles, defeating Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar with scores of 22-20, 21-16. Additionally, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand reached the women's doubles Round of 16 after overcoming USA's Lauren Lam and Allison Lee with a score of 21-15, 21-12.

However, India faced some setbacks as doubles teams Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi, Ruthvika Gadde-Rohan Kapoor, and Ashith Surya-Amrutha Pramuthesh were eliminated.