New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) Two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen’s “phenomenal run” in the All England Open 2026 after he went down 21-15, 22-20 to Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in the men’s singles final, settling for a silver medal. Despite the loss, Sindhu highlighted the qualities Sen displayed on the court.

“Never easy to come back and play a final less than 24 hours after a brutal semifinal. Those matches really stay in the legs. I remember the 2021 All England Open Badminton Championships. I had a really long quarterfinal against Akane Yamaguchi, and the very next day had to step back on court for the semifinal against Pornpawee Chochuwong. Let me tell you, it’s brutal,” Sindhu wrote on X.

Sen spent over five hours on court in the earlier rounds and faced a tough challenge against the lightning-fast Lin. He started slowly in the first game, struggling with the depth of his lifts and tosses, allowing Lin to seize control and take the opening game.

Sindhu was in awe of Sen’s level of play in the last few days. “Lakshya still had a phenomenal week. Beating Shi Yuqi and Li Shifeng in the same tournament says a lot about the level he’s playing at. And Lin Chun Yi’s attack at times really reminds you of his namesake Lin Dan. Very decisive and explosive,” she added.

In the second game, Sen raised his tempo, winning six consecutive points from 3-4 to lead 9-4. However, Lin gradually clawed back, engaging Sen in long rallies and ultimately converting his second match point to clinch the title. Lin became the first men’s singles player from Chinese Taipei to win the prestigious tournament.

“Tough loss, but smile, Lakshya. For the general public, the All England Open Badminton Championships is often seen as the pinnacle because of its history and aura. But on the tour, it is one of the four Super 1000 events we play every year, and opportunities keep coming. With the kind of skill Lakshya has, weeks like this will keep repeating. Hopefully, this momentum carries through the rest of the Super 1000s this season as well,” she concluded.

This marked Sen’s second All England final appearance after 2022, highlighting his skill, determination, and resilience despite falling just short of the trophy.

–IANS

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