Lakshya Sen Overcomes Injury Struggles to Secure Hylo Open 2026 Victory
Synopsis
Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen discusses his comeback journey, revealing how managing injuries and consistent tournament participation were key to winning his seventh BWF World Tour title at the 2026 Hylo Open after a period of limited practice.
Lakshya Sen Reflects on His Comeback Path
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen reflected on his preparations and journey back to form, highlighting how a demanding tournament schedule and injury concerns had affected his training and match fitness over the past few months following his triumph in the Hylo Open 2026. Sen revealed that managing his workload while recovering from injuries was a challenge, but consistent participation in tournaments in the lead-up to the Asian Games helped him regain match sharpness and confidence. Sen added that the opportunity to play more matches after struggling with a lack of match practice during the World Championships period played a crucial role in getting him back into rhythm.
Training Adjustments and Overcoming Challenges
"We have been travelling constantly and competing in tournaments, so there hasn't been much time to experiment with new things in training. However, during the tournaments I have played, I have tried to make certain adjustments and incorporate different aspects into my game," Sen told the reporters. "Managing injuries was a bit of a challenge over the last three to four months. During that period, I tried a few different approaches in training, particularly when it came to managing my workload. However, in the two to three months leading up to the Asian Games, I was able to prepare well for the tournaments," he added.
"I was ready to go out there and play as many matches as possible. Those matches really helped me regain my match fitness. During tournaments like the World Championships and some of the events leading up to it, I felt that I was lacking match practice. Since then, I have played quite a few matches, which has helped me get back into rhythm and build my match fitness," he noted.
Victory at the Hylo Open 2026
Lakshya registered a 21-17, 21-10 victory in the final, securing his seventh BWF World Tour title and his second Hylo Open crown. The Indian shuttler produced an impressive performance in the second game after taking the opening game 21-17. He maintained control of the rallies and capitalised on errors from Christie to build a seven-point advantage at 16-9. Despite the Indonesian's attempts to fight back, Lakshya continued to put pressure on his opponent. Christie missed an important opportunity when his crosscourt smash went wide, allowing the Indian to move closer to the title. Lakshya then earned 10 match points after successfully reviewing a line call and converted the next point to seal the championship with a 21-10 win in the second game.
The victory marked another Hylo Open triumph for Lakshya, adding to his earlier title at the tournament and taking his overall BWF World Tour title count to seven. (ANI)