Birmingham, March 8: Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen has secured his place in the final of the All England Open Championship 2026. He becomes the second Indian player to reach the finals of this prestigious tournament twice. Sen achieved this milestone by defeating Canada’s Victor Lai in the men’s singles semifinals.
Despite dealing with blisters on his right toe, the 24-year-old Sen triumphed over Lai in a grueling match that lasted one hour and 37 minutes, with scores of 21-16, 18-21, 21-15. His mentor, Prakash Padukone, reached the All England finals in 1980 and 1981, winning the title on his first attempt.
The semifinal match showcased both players’ stamina, featuring numerous rallies that exceeded 50 strokes. Sen’s ability to find an extra gear helped him clinch the first game, which he won 17-16. However, Lai, the first Canadian player to win a BWF World Championship medal, made a comeback in the second game, taking a mid-game lead of 11-7.
Struggling with blisters, Sen fought back to equalize the score at 16-16. Yet, Lai regained his lead and took the second game. In the deciding game, Sen established a significant advantage of 15-9, but Lai, known for his fighting spirit, narrowed the gap to 17-15.
Ultimately, Sen secured his final spot by scoring four consecutive points. In the final, he will face Lin Chun-yi from Chinese Taipei, the India Open champion, who defeated Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in another semifinal match lasting one hour and 18 minutes, with scores of 21-14, 18-21, 21-16. So far, only Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand have won titles at the All England Open Championship for India.
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My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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