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Key Points

Lakshya Sen put up a spirited fight but ultimately fell to top seed Shi Yu Qi in the opening round. The match featured intense rallies including a dramatic 52-shot exchange that highlighted the competition's intensity. This loss continues Sen's challenging 2025 season marked by multiple early exits. Indian fans now turn their hopes to PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy as they begin their campaigns.

Key Points: Lakshya Sen Falls to Shi Yu Qi in BWF World Championships Opener

  • Lakshya Sen lost 21-17, 21-19 in intense 54-minute match
  • Top seed Shi Yu Qi won crucial 52-shot rally showcasing precision
  • This marks Sen's fourth loss against the Chinese shuttler in five meetings
  • Indian shuttler has struggled with early exits throughout 2025 season
2 min read

Lakshya Sen falls to top seed Shi Yu Qi in BWF World Championships

India's Lakshya Sen crashes out in first round after hard-fought 54-minute battle against top seed Shi Yu Qi at the BWF World Championships in Paris.

"Shi Yu Qi's precision in attack made the difference - Olympics.com"

Paris, August 25

India's ace shuttler Lakshya Sen crashed out of the ongoing BWF World Championships 2025 badminton tournament as he lost to top seed Chinese shuttler Shi Yu Qi in the opening round of the competition here on Monday.

Competing at the Adidas Arena, the same venue used for the Paris 2024 Olympics badminton events, world No. 21 Lakshya Sen fought hard but lost the contest 21-17, 21-19 in 54 minutes, as per Olympics.com.

Lakshya, a bronze medallist at the 2021 edition in Huelva, produced a spirited fight in the opening game, trading blows with the top seed in a series of long rallies.

A 52-shot exchange underlined the intensity of the contest, but Shi Yu Qi's precision in attack made the difference as he claimed the opener after 26 minutes.

The second game followed a similar script with the Indian badminton player staying on Shi Yu Qi's coattails in the early exchanges.

However, Shi Yu Qi upped the ante to bag two straight points from 19-all and sealed the contest. This was Sen's fourth loss against Shi Yu Qi in five meetings.

The 24-year-old Lakshya Sen has endured a challenging 2025 BWF World Tour season, managing just one semi-final run at the Macau Open and an All England quarter-final.

The Paris 2024 semi-finalist has also suffered two second-round and six opening-round exits this season, as per Olympics.com.

Former badminton world champion PV Sindhu will open her women's singles campaign on Tuesday against Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova. World No.34 HS Prannoy, a bronze medallist in 2023, will also begin on the same day.

In doubles, top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty received a bye in the first round and will start their campaign later in the week.

India has won at least one medal at every edition of the Badminton World Championships since 2011.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
This has been a really difficult season for Lakshya. After his Paris Olympics high, he seems to be struggling with consistency. Maybe he needs a break or different training approach? Wishing him all the best!
V
Vikram M
Losing 21-17, 21-19 against the world number 1 is actually not bad at all! The scoreline shows how close it was. Chinese players are always tough opponents. Let's support our athletes through ups and downs 🙏
A
Ananya R
Now our hopes are on Sindhu and Prannoy! 🇮🇳✨ India has won medals at every Worlds since 2011 - that's an amazing record. Let's cheer for our other shuttlers to continue this tradition!
S
Sarah B
As a badminton fan, I have to say that 52-shot rally must have been incredible to watch! Sometimes the quality of play matters more than just the result. Both players showed great skill today.
K
Karthik V
Satwik-Chirag are our best hope for a gold this time! They've been in fantastic form. Hope they can go all the way and bring home the championship 🏸

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