Lakshya Sen's Triumph at Japan Masters Marks India's Best BWF Season
Lakshya Sen's Victory at Japan Masters
Lakshya Sen's recent triumph at the Japan Masters in Kumamoto has propelled India to its most successful season in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour. According to the Badminton Association of India (BAI), Indian athletes have secured a total of nine titles and four runner-up positions in BWF Super 300 tournaments and higher this year. On Sunday, Lakshya showcased his skills by defeating Japan's Koki Watanabe with scores of 13-21, 21-18, 21-14, overcoming a game deficit in a match that lasted 64 minutes. This victory adds to his impressive performance in the BWF circuit this year, following his win at the Hylo Open.
PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, has also had a remarkable year, clinching two titles: the Japan Open (Super 750) in July and the Hylo Open (Super 500) in November. Additionally, she was the runner-up at the French Open (October 2026), another Super 750 event. Lakshya has consistently performed well, reaching the finals in back-to-back tournaments, including the Hylo Open and Japan Masters. He also secured a runner-up position at the prestigious All England Open, a Super 1000 tournament, earlier this year. Kidambi Srikanth contributed to India's success with a runner-up finish at the US Open, a BWF Super 300 event.
In men's doubles, the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty achieved victories in two Super 750 tournaments: the Singapore Open (May 2026) and the China Masters (September). They also finished as runners-up at the Thailand Open (May 2026). Indian women shuttlers have excelled as well, with Devika Sihag (Thailand Masters, Super 300 in January-February 2026), Tanvi Sharma (Taipei Open, Super 300 in July-August 2026), and Ashmita Chaliha (Korea Open, Super 300 in August 2026) all contributing to the nation's success. The women's singles category has been particularly fruitful, yielding five titles, including two from Sindhu, surpassing last year's record of six titles and three runner-up finishes.
Earlier this month, Lakshya defeated Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in straight games to secure the men's singles title at the Hylo Open, winning 21-17, 21-10. This victory marked his seventh BWF World Tour title and his second Hylo Open championship. Following this win, Lakshya climbed eight positions in the rankings, now sitting at 10th place in the race to the finals. His recent successes have significantly improved his chances of qualifying for the top eight, which would allow him to compete in the BWF World Tour Finals scheduled for December 9 to 13 in China. Last year, Lakshya reached the semifinals of this event, where he lost to local favorite Kenta Nishimoto in a three-game match.