Lakshya Sen Advances to Quarter-Finals at India Open 2026
Lakshya Sen's Impressive Victory
New Delhi, January 15: Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen secured his spot in the quarter-finals of the India Open 2026 by defeating Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in straight games on Thursday.
Following his 21-19, 21-10 triumph, Lakshya shared insights about his match strategy, emphasizing the importance of focusing on each point individually.
“I aimed to concentrate on one point at a time. Initially, I struggled to find my rhythm, but as the match progressed, I felt more comfortable on the court. After the first 11 points, I adjusted my tactics slightly. I focused on the fundamentals, lifted the shuttle more, and increased my defensive play. Kenta was playing solidly, and I had to stay persistent to earn points, as he wasn’t giving many away. I also had a bit of luck on my side,” Lakshya explained.
HS Prannoy's Exit
In contrast, HS Prannoy faced elimination after a challenging three-game match against Singapore's Loh Kean Yew. Prannoy lost with scores of 18-21, 21-19, 21-14, and remarked, “I managed to score some good points, but I had a few lapses in focus.”
An Se Young's Dominance
World number one An Se Young from Korea continued her impressive performance at the tournament, achieving a straightforward 21-14, 21-9 victory over Huang Yu-Hsun from Chinese Taipei.
Reflecting on her success, An stated, “This year has been fantastic for me, as I have accomplished my goals.”
As the reigning world number one and a gold medalist at the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, An won 11 out of 16 competitions last year, making history as the first Korean woman to secure a BWF World Championships gold medal in singles.
The India Open has been particularly favorable for her, having won the titles in both 2023 and 2025.
Indian Women's Doubles Performance
In the women's doubles, Indian player P Gayatri expressed her contentment with her performance, stating, “It’s a solid start. We have participated in this tournament before, and I aimed to give my all this time.”
Meanwhile, Malvika Bansod's journey ended against China's Han Yue, who won 21-18, 21-15. Bansod, who is returning to competition after surgery, commented, “This tournament was significant for me as it was my second event after a seven-month hiatus due to surgery, and I believe I performed well.”
Christo Popov's Narrow Win
France's Christo Popov advanced after a tightly contested match against India's Kidambi Srikanth, winning 21-14, 17-21, 21-17. Post-match, Popov remarked, “It was a challenging match at a different level. Yesterday was tough as well. I gave it my all, and it felt better today, but Srikanth played exceptionally well.”