Lakshya Sen's Journey Ends in Thrilling Quarterfinal at India Open 2026
Lakshya Sen's Narrow Defeat at India Open 2026
New Delhi, January 16: Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen showcased a commendable performance but ultimately fell short against Lin Chun-Yi in a gripping quarterfinal match at the India Open 2026, a prestigious BWF World Super 750 event held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Sen initially took the lead by winning the first game but struggled to maintain his momentum, losing the match with scores of 17-21, 21-13, 21-18, as reported by the Badminton Association of India.
After the match, Lakshya reflected, "It was a tightly contested game. The final set was particularly intense. He adapted better to the windy conditions than I did, which caught me off guard since it wasn't as breezy the previous day."
He acknowledged his struggles at the net, admitting to several errors that hindered his performance.
Entering the quarterfinals, Sen faced a daunting 0-4 record against Lin in their previous encounters, emphasizing the need for him to perform at his peak against the agile left-handed player.
Sen's strategy involved keeping Lin close to the net during the first game, which initially paid off as he surged ahead after the mid-game break.
However, after switching sides, Sen's lifts began to falter, allowing Lin to capitalize and force a decisive third game.
In the final game, Sen started strong, winning the first four points, but Lin quickly regained control, dominating the net exchanges and taking a lead of 18-15 after a series of six consecutive points.
Despite leveling the score at 18-18, Lin's aggressive play secured him the victory after an hour and eight minutes of intense competition.
Sen's next challenge will be against Victor Lai from Canada, who advanced after defeating Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei.
In the other semifinal, former world champion Loh Kean Yew from Singapore will compete against third seed Jonatan Christie from Indonesia.
In women's singles, former champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand triumphed over Beiwen Zhang, while top seed An Se Young easily defeated Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani.
The other women's semifinal will feature an all-Chinese matchup between second seed Wang Zhi Yi and Chen Yu Fei.
Men's singles results: Jonatan Christie (Ina) defeated Christo Popov (Fra) 21-19, 21-19; Loh Kean Yew (Sin) overcame Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) 14-21, 21-15, 21-17; Victor Lai (Can) beat Chi Yu Jen (Tpe) 21-18, 17-21, 21-15; Lin Chun-Yi (Tpe) defeated Lakshya Sen 17-21, 21-13, 21-18.
Women's singles results: Wang Zhi Yi (Chn) defeated Natsuki Nidaira (Jpn) 20-22, 21-13, 21-9; Chen Yu Fei (Chn) beat Han Yue (Chn) 21-8, 21-18; An Se Young (Kor) triumphed over Putri Kusuma Wardani (Ina) 21-16, 21-8; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) won against Beiwen Zhang (USA) 21-16, 21-12.