NEW DELHI: Lakshya Sen dug deep into his reserves on Saturday to win an All England semi-final for the ages against Canada’s Victor Lai, becoming only the second Indian to reach the title clash at the prestigious Super 1000 tournament.
Lakshya emulated early mentor Prakash Padukone, who won the world’s oldest badminton tournament in 1980 and finished runner-up the next year. Lakshya reached the summit clash first in 2022 when he lost to Danish great Viktor Axelsen.
On Saturday, he continued his great run in the tournament in Birmingham when he beat Lai 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 in a draining encounter lasting 97 minutes.
As the Indian badminton community rejoiced at his run, the happiest was his coach U Vimal Kumar, who has coached the current world No.12 since he was a young boy.
“I feel truly happy today. After the Olympic Games, Lakshya had to face a lot of criticism for supposedly not showing that extra determination. It was a very difficult period for him, and for those of us who know how much he cares and how hard he works, it was painful to see him so put down,” said Vimal, who is also a national selector.
“But today, the way he fought on court, the courage and resilience he showed, has erased all those doubts. This performance was a reminder of the fighter he truly is. I am just praying that he recovers well for tomorrow and is able to produce another incredible match. Lakshya truly deserves this moment.”
In the final, Lakshya will take on Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-yi.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lakshya wasted two brilliant opportunities to win India’s fourth Olympic badminton medal. He lost the semi-final to Axelsen and then to Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in the bronze medal playoff. He lost both the matches from winning positions.
“Badminton at its toughest, and Lakshya at his bravest. Lakshya has made us all incredibly proud. For me, the determination and resilience he showed today were truly unmatched. It was a physically draining contest of the highest intensity, yet he fought every point with remarkable courage,” said Vimal, who was previously the chief national coach.
“He employed the right tactics against Victor — controlling the pace of the match and refusing to give him the fast rhythm he thrives on. I have rarely seen such an incredible display of courage, resilience and heart on a badminton court.”
Lakshya battled cramp in both legs, a blister in the right foot and a cut finger in his right hand to win the semi-final.
“In the opening game, he kept Victor from settling into any real flow and dictated the terms of the rallies. The second game was a battle of sheer endurance, with long, punishing rallies,” said Vimal.
“To fight your way back to 16–16 showed tremendous grit and character. The service fault call at that crucial moment was unfortunate and broke the momentum he had worked so hard to build. To play through the match with a painful blister on your foot, without even being able to get treatment during the break, and still push yourself despite the cramp — that speaks volumes about your fighting spirit.”
Lakshya’s final opponent Lin ousted second seed and former world champion Kunlavut Viditsarn of Thailand in the other semi-final 21-14, 18-21, 21-16.
