All England Open campaign ends for Lakshya Sen after losing in semifinal

Birmingham: In a hard-fought semifinal match at the prestigious All England badminton championships here on Saturday, Lakshya Sen was defeated by Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie with a score of 12-21, 21-10, 15-21.

Despite a strong performance pushing the game into a third-game decider, Lakshya couldn't clinch the victory. He showcased remarkable resilience, particularly in the second game, where he dominated with a 21-10 win after trailing in the first game.

However, Christie's skill and determination prevailed, setting up a final clash between him and his compatriot Anthony Sinisuka Ginting.

Lakshya had reached the semifinals after a tough battle in the quarterfinals against Malaysian Lee Zii Jia, where he secured victory in three games.

His journey in the tournament had been marked by intense matches, including a thrilling encounter against World No. 4 Anders Antonsen, whom he defeated in a 78-minute thriller after initially trailing.

Despite facing challenges due to nasal surgery disrupting his progress in 2022, Lakshya showcased his talent and determination throughout the tournament.

Unfortunately, other Indian contenders, including Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, and PV Sindhu, were unable to advance further in the competition, leaving Lakshya as the sole Indian representative in action on Friday.