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

Lakshya Sen's Impressive Comeback

New Delhi [India], August 19: Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen attributed his successful comeback against Austria's Collins Valentine Filimon at the BWF World Championships 2026 to a strategic adjustment and improved adaptation to the court's conditions.

After losing the first game, Sen rallied to win the match with scores of 16-21, 21-8, 21-4 in just 45 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, securing his place in the men's singles Round of 32.

Initially, Sen faced challenges as Filimon's height allowed him to effectively counter Sen's shorter shots. The Indian player also struggled with his lifts due to the drift affecting one side of the court.

“In the first set, my drives were too short, and I couldn't score points because he was handling those shots easily. I got stuck in my play. In the second set, I decided to open up my game, using lifts and engaging him in rallies, which allowed me to execute my shots more freely,” Sen explained to reporters post-match.

Filimon led 11-10 at the break and took the first game 21-16. However, Sen changed his strategy after the interval, quickly turning the match in his favor.

“I made several errors in the first set, and my game plan was different. I adjusted a few things in the second and third sets, which led to a better outcome,” he added.

Sen also highlighted the court conditions as a contributing factor to his slow start. “I began on the windy side, making it difficult to control the shuttle on my lifts, which often fell short. Once I switched to the better end in the second set, I was able to play my game more effectively,” he noted.

This adjustment was 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 closed the match with a score of 21-4.

Sen's victory was a highlight 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 21-15, 21-12.

However, India faced some setbacks, with pairs Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi, Ruthvika Gadde-Rohan Kapoor, and Ashith Surya-Amrutha Pramuthesh exiting in doubles.