Lakshya Sen falls agonisingly short in All England final, loses to Lin Chun-Yi

Indian badminton ace Lakshya Sen’s bid to become the country’s third men’s singles champion at the All England Open fell short on Sunday as he lost to Taiwan’s Lin Chun-Yi in the final of the prestigious tournament.

The 24-year-old Indian fought hard but could not overcome the challenge of the left-handed Taiwanese shuttler, going down 15-21, 20-22 in an intense title clash.

The defeat extended Sen’s winless run against Lin, marking his fifth consecutive loss to the Taiwanese player, who has emerged as one of his most difficult opponents on the international circuit.

It was also Sen’s second runner-up finish at the All England Open. He had reached the final of the tournament in 2022 as well but had fallen short of the title on that occasion.

Despite the loss, the Indian produced a spirited campaign through the week at the historic tournament in Birmingham, defeating a string of higher-ranked opponents to reach the final.

Sen’s run included a gritty semifinal victory on Saturday in which he battled through blisters and cramps to secure his place in the title clash. The physical toll of that match appeared to weigh on him during the final, though he pushed Lin hard, especially in the second game.

After dropping the opening game 15-21, Sen mounted a strong comeback in the second, staying level with his opponent for most of the contest. The Indian even threatened to force a decider but Lin held his nerve in the closing exchanges to seal the match in straight games.

The All England Open remains one of badminton’s most prestigious tournaments and is often regarded as the sport’s unofficial world championship due to its long history and elite field.

India has had limited success in the men’s singles event at the tournament over the decades. Only two Indians — Prakash Padukone in 1980 and Pullela Gopichand in 2001 — have won the title.

Sen’s run to the final, however, continues his steady progress on the international circuit and reinforces his status as one of India’s leading men’s singles players.

While the wait for another Indian men’s singles champion at the All England continues, Sen’s performance through the week offered encouraging signs for Indian badminton ahead of the busy international season.

With PTI inputs