Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen saw his India Open campaign come to a heartbreaking end on Friday night. He suffered a quarterfinal defeat against his left-handed nemesis Lin Chun Yi from Chinese Taipei. The match lasted sixty-eight intense minutes at New Delhi's IG Indoor Stadium.
A rollercoaster battle ends in despair
Lakshya Sen lost the match with a final scoreline of 21-17, 13-21, 18-21. This result marked the end of all Indian interest in the prestigious Super 750 tournament. The contest featured dramatic momentum shifts and a spectacular rally that brought the home crowd to its feet.
Early promise fades away
Sen started the match brightly despite a poor 0-3 head-to-head record against Lin. His sharp net-play dominated the frontcourt in the first game. He won four consecutive points to lead 11-9 at the interval. A breathtaking 54-shot rally later saw him defend brilliantly before outsmarting Lin with a forehand block to extend his lead to 17-11. He clinched the first game 21-17.
However, the match turned dramatically after the sides changed. Lakshya later admitted he struggled with court conditions. "I was not prepared for the wind in today's match," Sen conceded. "There was more wind on court than yesterday, so it took me some time to realise that."
The costly second game collapse
This indecision and inaccuracy proved costly. Lakshya lost nine straight points from a 5-2 lead to trail 5-11 in the second game. Lin's powerful lefty smashes and half-smashes began to find their mark consistently. Although Sen briefly threatened a comeback at 11-14, the second game slipped away 13-21, forcing a decider.
A decider filled with hope and heartbreak
Sen began the third game strongly, racing to a 4-0 lead. He maintained a slight edge, leading 11-10 and then 15-12. But a crucial error proved decisive. At 15-12, he snatched at a smash opportunity that thudded into the net. This miss handed Lin the momentum he desperately needed.
Yet, hope flickered brilliantly for the home fans. Trailing 16-18, Lakshya Sen produced a moment of pure magic. Under extreme pressure, he played a miraculous behind-the-back shot to keep the shuttle alive. He then rushed forward to kill the point at the net. The stadium erupted as Sen pumped his fist in celebration.
Post-match reflections reveal contrasting emotions
The joy was short-lived. Lin sealed the match two points later. A deep forehand crosscourt clear sent Sen scrambling. He slipped and fell in the backcourt, watching helplessly as Lin put away the winner.
The post-match reactions highlighted the emotional chasm. An elated Lin Chun Yi, without a translator, called Sen's spectacular shot "beautiful, very beautiful." A visibly disappointed Lakshya Sen had a different view. When asked if he would look back on that rally as a fun moment, he replied with a deadpan face, "It was a good rally, but again, it's only one point."
Sen rued not being clinical enough. "A very close match, I just could have been a little more clinical towards the end," he said. For the second consecutive year, Lin Chun Yi ended Lakshya Sen's journey at his home tournament, leaving the Indian camp to ponder what might have been.
