NewKerala.com

Lakshya Sen Battles Blisters to Reach Historic All England Final

Lakshya Sen fought through a physically demanding match and painful blisters to defeat Canada's Victor Lai in a three-game All England Open semifinal. The victory marks Sen's second appearance in the prestigious tournament's final, a feat only previously achieved by his mentor, Prakash Padukone. He will now compete for the title against Chinese Taipei's India Open champion, Lin Chun-Yi. Sen's triumph also ended the run of Lai, the first Canadian to win a BWF World Championships medal.

Key Points: Lakshya Sen Reaches All England Final, Faces Lin Chun-Yi

  • Sen reaches second All England final
  • Wins grueling 3-game semifinal
  • Overcomes foot blisters during match
  • To face Lin Chun-Yi for title
  • Joins mentor Prakash Padukone in rare feat
2 min read

All England Open 2026: Lakshya Sen seals final berth with sensational win over Victor Lai

Lakshya Sen overcomes Victor Lai & blisters to reach his second All England Open final. He will face Chinese Taipei's Lin Chun-Yi for the title.

"It was Sen's ability to find an extra gear that helped the Indian take the opening game - Report"

Birmingham, March 7

Lakshya Sen became only the second Indian player to reach two All England finals when he overcame Canada's Victor Lai in a gruelling semifinal here on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, who had also reached the summit clash in 2022, not only overcame a spirited Lai but also blisters in his right toe to win 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 in an hour and 37 minutes.

Sen's mentor, Prakash Padukone, had reached the All England final in 1980 and 1981 and won the title in his first appearance in the summit clash, according to a release.

The semifinal clash on Saturday between Sen and Lai tested the physical endurance of both players as they engaged in multiple rallies that went beyond 50 strokes.

It was Sen's ability to find an extra gear that helped the Indian take the opening game, which stayed neck-and-neck till 17-16. Sen then took four straight points to draw first blood.

But Lai, the first Canadian player to win a BWF World Championships medal, bounced back in the second game and took an 11-7 lead at the mid-game interval.

Sen, who was by then struggling with blisters, fought back to draw level at 16-16, only for Lai to once again pull away and take the match in the decider.

The 24-year-old's experience meant that he at times took calculated risks to take a sizeable 15-9 lead. However, Lai is known for fighting till the end, and he managed to close the gap at 17-15 before Sen once again won four straight points to reach the final.

In the summit clash, he will face India Open champion Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei after the left-hander packed off second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 21-14, 18-21, 21-16 in an hour and 18 minutes.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud! Following in the footsteps of Prakash Padukone sir is no small feat. The legacy continues. Hope he goes one step further this time. The final will be tough, but he has the heart for it.
R
Rohit P
Respect to Victor Lai as well. He pushed Lakshya to the absolute limit. Those 50+ stroke rallies must have been exhausting to watch, let alone play. High-quality badminton.
S
Sarah B
Incredible mental strength from Sen. To lose momentum in the second game and then regroup in the decider shows champion mentality. The final against Lin Chun-Yi will be a tactical masterclass.
V
Vikram M
A small critique: I hope his team manages the blister issue properly before the final. We can't afford any physical limitations in the summit clash. Otherwise, a phenomenal performance! 🏸
K
Karthik V
This win is huge for Indian badminton. After Saina and Srikanth, Lakshya is carrying the torch forward. The All England title has eluded us for too long. Sunday is the day!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50