Lakshya Sen exited the India Open after a tough quarterfinal loss to Chinese Taipei's Lin Chun-Yi. Sen felt he should have been 'more clinical' in the pressure game and credited his opponent for playing a solid match in difficult conditions.
Lakshya Sen on Needing a 'More Clinical' Finish
After suffering a heartbreaking defeat against Lin Chun-Yi in the men's quarterfinals in the Indian Open event, shuttler Lakshya Sen opened up about being more clinical against his opponent. "It was much more of a pressure game, with both of us trying to keep the attack. But again, the whole match was very close, and it was important for me to finish off. But I think, again, it would have been a little more clinical," Sen told reporters.
The Indian shuttler credited his opponent for displaying a solid outing in the tough conditions. "I have to sit back with the coaches and go through the whole match. But again, credit to him as well, he (Lin) played a good, solid unit. He is a really good player, and I think he played well today, given the conditions. Both of us were trying to keep the attack, and I think in the end he managed it well. I am just focusing on my matches, and in every tournament, things don't always go as planned," Sen added.
Three-Game Thriller Ends India's Challenge
Sen kept pace with Lin Chun-Yi till the very end but fell short in the final exchanges as he went down in three games and ended the host's challenge in the India Open 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Sen won the opening game against Lin but then struggled from the faster side of the court to go down 17-21, 21-13, 21-18 in the men's singles quarterfinals.
How the Match Unfolded
Going into the quarterfinal, Sen trailed Lin 0-4 in the head-to-head, and it was clear that the Indian needed to be at his best against the speedy left-hander. His game plan was to keep Lin near the net in the opening game; the Taipei shuttler was playing from the faster side. And the strategy worked as Sen raced ahead after the mid-game interval to pocket the opening game.
But once he changed sides, Sen's lifts began to go long, and Lin was quick to pounce on shorter lifts and forced a decider.
In the third and final game, Sen began strong by clinching the first four points, but Lin then slowed things down and began dominating the net exchanges to keep pace with the local favourite till the change of ends. Once the players changed ends, Lin earned six straight points to take an 18-15 lead. To his credit, Sen drew level at 18-18 before Lin stepped on the gas and opted for an all-out attack strategy to win the match in an hour and 8 minutes.
He will now face 2025 World Championships bronze medallist Victor Lai of Canada, who defeated Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen 21-18, 17-21, 21-15. (ANI)
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