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Lakshya Sen's Semifinal Heartbreak: How Kenta Nishimoto Ended India's Campaign

Lakshya Sen's impressive run at the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025 came to an end in the semifinals. The Indian shuttler fought hard but ultimately fell to local favorite Kenta Nishimoto in a thrilling three-game match. Despite a strong second-game comeback that pushed the contest to a decider, Sen couldn't maintain momentum in the final game. This semifinal appearance marked Sen's third of the 2025 BWF World Tour season, showing his consistent performance despite a challenging year.

Key Points: Lakshya Sen Falls to Kenta Nishimoto in Kumamoto Masters Semifinal

  • Sen lost 21-19, 14-21, 21-12 in grueling 77-minute semifinal battle
  • This marked his third defeat against Nishimoto in six career meetings
  • Indian shuttler staged strong comeback in second game to force decider
  • Sen was only Indian semifinalist after beating former world champion Loh Kean Yew
2 min read

Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025: Lakshya Sen falls to Kenta Nishimoto in semifinals

Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen's semifinal run ends with three-game defeat to Japan's Kenta Nishimoto at Kumamoto Masters 2025, concluding India's tournament campaign.

"The contest remained tight, with the score tied at 18-all before Nishimoto clinched the final points - Match Report"

Kumamoto, November 15

Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen faced a defeat in the men's singles semifinal of the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025 on Saturday, as per Olympics.com. He went down to the local favourite and the world number 13 Kenta Nishimoto after a gruelling three-game match, ending India's campaign at the tournament.

World number 15 Lakshya Sen, who is seeded seventh, lost to sixth seed Nishimoto 21-19, 14-21, 21-12 in a contest that lasted one hour and 17 minutes at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium. This marked Sen's third defeat against Nishimoto in six head-to-head encounters.

In the first game, Sen started strongly as he raced to an 8-4 lead before Nishimoto fought back to level at 9-all. The contest remained tight, with the score tied at 18-all before Nishimoto clinched the final points to take the opening game.

The second game saw Nishimoto open a 7-3 lead, but Sen staged a comeback, winning eight of the next nine points to lead 11-8 at the interval. Post-interval, Sen held onto his lead and managed to push the match into a decider.

However, the deciding game turned in Nishimoto's favour, as he held a four-point lead at the break and gradually extended it to seal the match.

The 2021 World Championship bronze medallist Sen's run to the semifinals included a notable victory over former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the quarterfinals. This was Sen's third semifinal appearance of the 2025 BWF World Tour season, following the Hong Kong Open final in September and the Macau Open semifinal in August.

Despite a mixed season with 11 first-round exits in 19 tournaments, Sen recorded impressive wins, including a triumph over world No. 2 Anders Antonsen at the Denmark Open.

Notably, Sen was the only Indian to reach the semifinals at the Kumamoto Masters, with HS Prannoy exiting in the round of 16.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
This inconsistency is worrying. 11 first-round exits in 19 tournaments? He needs to work on his mental game. When he's good, he's world-class, but too many early exits.
R
Rohit P
Beating Loh Kean Yew and taking Nishimoto to 3 games shows his quality. The boy has talent, just needs more consistency. Better luck next time, champ! 🏸
S
Sarah B
As a badminton fan, this was an exciting match! Both players showed great skills. Lakshya's comeback in the second game was brilliant. Hope to see more of this fighting spirit.
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Vikram M
Third semifinal this season is actually good progress. Remember he's still young and learning. The win over Antonsen proves he can beat the best. Patience, people!
M
Michael C
Playing against a home crowd favorite in Japan is always challenging. Lakshya handled the pressure well for most of the match. The experience will help him grow.
A
Ananya R
Heartbreaking to see him lose the decider after such a fight. But reaching semis in Japan is no small achievement. Keep your head up, Lakshya! We're with you 💪

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