Lakshya Sen Shines as Sole Indian Victor at India Open
Lakshya Sen delivered a standout performance at the India Open Super 750 on Thursday. He emerged as the only Indian winner on a challenging day for home shuttlers. Sen defeated Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in straight games, 21-19, 21-10, securing his place in the quarterfinals.
A Slow Start and a Game-Changing Adjustment
The match began with Nishimoto taking an early lead. Lakshya struggled to find his rhythm initially. His lifts were falling short, allowing the Japanese player to dominate from the midcourt. At the mid-game interval, Sen trailed 7-11 in the first game.
During the break, his father DK Sen and coach Yoo Yong-sung provided crucial advice. They instructed him to lift the shuttle higher and deeper towards the backline. This simple tactical tweak proved transformative.
"I changed the tactics," Lakshya explained after the match. "My dad and the coach told me I was lifting short a little bit, so I must try and lift a little bit higher and further back."
The Turnaround: Dislodging Nishimoto from His Comfort Zone
Immediately after the interval, Lakshya implemented the change. He put more power behind his lifts, sending the shuttle soaring towards the baseline. This forced Nishimoto to retreat from his preferred midcourt intercepting position.
With Nishimoto pushed back, Lakshya seized control. He mixed up his play, drawing his opponent forward to the net and capitalizing on errors. Although he lost a marathon 41-shot rally at 11-13, the new strategy was clearly working.
Nishimoto still held a 16-11 advantage, but Lakshya mounted a spectacular comeback. A brilliant crosscourt smash ignited the crowd at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. He then dominated at the net and began testing Nishimoto's defense aggressively.
A powerful 402kph smash at 16-18 signaled a complete shift in momentum. With the home fans roaring their support, Lakshya won 10 of the final 13 points to clinch the first game 21-19.
Dominating the Second Game with Varied Pace
Having secured the opening game, Lakshya played with increased confidence in the second. He knew Nishimoto thrives in long, drawn-out rallies. To counter this, Sen deliberately varied the pace of play.
"Second set, it was important to again stick in there, but also vary the pace," Lakshya said. "I had to change the pace from slow tempo to just push pace, get into the drive game and finish off quick points."
This approach prevented Nishimoto from settling into his compulsive rallying rhythm. Lakshya controlled the tempo completely, cruising to a 21-10 victory in the second game to seal the match in 50 minutes.
Sen's Renewed Joy and Upcoming Challenge
When asked if he is in a better space now compared to recent times, Lakshya responded with a broad smile. "I think everyone agrees to that. Yeah, I'm in a much better space. Definitely, in terms of my game. And I'm enjoying badminton much more, I guess."
He declined to share specifics about his off-court relaxation methods, adding with a chuckle, "I am not going to tell you that." His lighter, freer attitude was evident throughout the contest.
The world number 14 now prepares to face the speedy left-handed player Lin Chun Yi in the quarterfinals on Friday.
A Bleak Day for Other Indian Shuttlers
Lakshya's victory provided the only bright spot on a disappointing day for Indian competitors. Six out of seven matches involving home players ended in defeat.
In a major upset, the star men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out. They lost to Japan's world number 22 duo Hiroki Midorikawa and Kyohei Yamashita in a tense three-game thriller, 27-25, 21-23, 19-21.
The match concluded controversially when Satwik was penalized for a supposed net touch at 15-15 in the decider. Replays clearly showed he was not near the net or post. While acknowledging they were below their best, the pair expressed disappointment at the crucial call.
"I was told I touched the net. I did not feel anything. I was quite far from the post," Satwik stated. Chirag added, "It does affect you because it was a crucial moment... if we had won that rally it could have been a different scenario."
Other Notable Results from the Day
Men's Singles:
- 5-Christo Popov (Fra) defeated Kidambi Srikanth 21-14, 17-21, 21-17
- 3-Jonatan Christie (Ina) beat Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) 21-15, 21-19
- 8-Loh Kean Yew (Sin) overcame HS Prannoy 18-21, 21-19, 21-14
- 2-Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) defeated Lu Guang Zu (Chn) 21-14, 21-16
Women's Singles:
- 1-AN Se Young (Kor) beat Huang Yu-Hsun (Tpe) 21-14, 21-9
- 7-Ratchnok Intanon (Tha) defeated Mia Blichfeldt (Den) 21-16, 21-11
- 5-Han Yue (Chn) overcame Malvika Bansod 21-18, 21-15
- 4-Chen Yu Fei (Chn) beat Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) 21-11, 21-13
- Natsuki Nidaira (Jpn) defeated 8-Tomoka Miyazaki (Jpn) 21-19, 8-21, 21-16
Lakshya Sen's tactical brilliance and resilient performance have kept Indian hopes alive at the India Open. All eyes will be on him as he advances to the quarterfinals.
