India’s Lakshya Sen delivered a dominant performance to reach the men’s singles semi-finals of the All England Open Badminton Championships, defeating China’s Li Shifeng in straight games in Birmingham on Friday.
The world No. 12 Indian shuttler looked in complete control as he outplayed the sixth-seeded Chinese star 21-13, 21-16 in just 45 minutes at the Utilita Arena Birmingham. With the victory, Lakshya secured a place in the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament for the third time in his career. He will now face the winner of the quarter-final between Victor Lai of Canada and Koki Watanabe of Japan.
Lakshya had finished runner-up in 2022, losing the final to Viktor Axelsen, while his 2024 campaign ended in the semi-finals after a defeat to Jonatan Christie.
Lakshya dominates from the start
Lakshya began the contest aggressively, dictating the pace from the opening rallies with sharp smashes and precise placement. His attacking approach kept Li Shifeng under constant pressure, allowing the Indian to take control early in the match.
Equally impressive was Lakshya’s defence. On several occasions he turned defensive situations into attacking opportunities with quick reactions at the net and clever court coverage. A few delicate backhand drops also highlighted the variety in his game.
The Indian surged to a 9-4 lead in the opening game, using relentless pressure and excellent movement to keep the Chinese shuttler pinned at the back of the court. Li struggled to find any rhythm as Lakshya comfortably wrapped up the first game 21-13.
Composed finish seals semi-final berth
The second game was more competitive, with longer rallies and sharper exchanges as Li attempted to mount a comeback. However, Lakshya maintained his composure at crucial moments, producing a timely burst of points to regain control.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Indian closed out the match 21-16, completing a commanding straight-games victory to book his spot in the semi-finals.
Lakshya has also been rewriting his recent head-to-head records during the tournament. The win over Li Shifeng ended a three-match losing streak against the Chinese player. Earlier in the week, he also snapped a run of defeats against Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong and Shi Yuqi of China on the BWF World Tour.
With his confidence growing and form peaking at the right moment, Lakshya will now aim to take another step towards the title at one of badminton’s most prestigious tournaments. 🏸
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