Our Bureau
Birmingham
India’s rising badminton star Lakshya Sen came agonizingly close to glory but lost the men’s singles final of the All England Open 2026 to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi. The match ended 21-15, 22-20 in straight games at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, lasting under an hour.
Sen, ranked world No. 12, fought bravely despite a grueling tournament. He stunned top seed Shi Yuqi in the first round and upset No. 6 Li Shi Feng in the quarters. His semi-final win over Canada’s Victor Lai lasted 97 minutes, leaving him with cramps and blisters.
Lin, world No. 11, dominated with powerful smashes. He beat Olympic medalist Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semis and now leads Sen 5-0 in their head-to-head. This was Sen’s second All England final loss, after 2022 against Viktor Axelsen.
At 24, Sen joins Prakash Padukone as the only Indians with two finals appearances here—Padukone won in 1980. Fans praised Sen’s grit on social media, calling it a proud run for India despite no title since Pullela Gopichand’s 2001 win.
The defeat stings, but Sen’s campaign boosts his confidence ahead of major events. “I gave everything,” he said post-match. Lin celebrated his first Super 1000 title, cementing his rise. India eyes more from this talented shuttler soon.
