Ranked 12th in the world, Lakshya triumphed over the world number 17 in a thrilling three-game match with scores of 10-21, 21-13, 21-13. Despite a shaky start in the opening game, where Lakshya conceded the set easily, the Indian shuttler made a stellar comeback in the subsequent games.

The second game saw Lakshya regroup and gain a three-point lead by the mid-game interval. Angus Ng Ka Long, known for his pace, kept himself in the contest but was ultimately undone by repeated forced errors. This marks Lakshya’s first win against Angus Ng Ka Long in their four head-to-head matches. Their last encounter at the Malaysia Masters in 2023 had ended in Angus’ favor, with a scoreline of 21-14, 21-19.

In Saturday’s semi-final, Lakshya will face Chinese teenager Hu Zhe An. The 18-year-old, who stunned Singapore’s former world champion Loh Kean Yew in the quarterfinals, is currently ranked 183rd in senior rankings. However, Hu Zhe An is the reigning junior world champion and holds the top spot in the junior world rankings, making him a formidable opponent despite his lower senior ranking.

The semi-finals will also feature top players, including Paris 2024 silver medallist and current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, Denmark’s world number two Anders Antonsen, French talent Alex Lanier, and China’s Wang Zi Jun.

Adding to the excitement, an exhibition match between badminton legends Lin Dan and Taufik Hidayat is scheduled for Saturday. The inaugural King Cup International Badminton Open, founded by two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan, focuses exclusively on men’s singles and features an elite eight-player lineup.

This unique tournament follows a single-elimination format and does not award ranking points, as it is not part of the BWF calendar. Nevertheless, its star-studded roster and competitive format have drawn significant attention from badminton enthusiasts worldwide.

The post Lakshya Sen Advances to Semi-Finals with First-Ever Win Over Angus Ng Ka Long appeared first on FolksTimes.

Two-time Olympic medalist Sindhu defeated China’s Wu Luo Yu in the women’s singles final, securing the title in a 47-minute match. She dominated the court with a straight-game victory, winning 21-14, 21-16. This is Sindhu’s first BWF World Tour title since the Singapore Open, a Super 500 event, in July 2022. Despite making it to the finals of the Spain Masters and Malaysia Masters in the past two years, Sindhu had struggled to claim a title until now.

In the men’s singles final, Lakshya Sen showcased his prowess with a commanding performance. The Commonwealth Games champion and Olympian defeated Singapore’s Jason Teh in a one-sided match, winning 21-6, 21-7 in just 31 minutes. This victory marks Sen’s first title since the Canada Open in 2022.

Adding to India’s triumph, the women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand claimed victory by defeating China’s Bao Li Jing and Li Qian. They won 21-18, 21-11 in a 41-minute match. This title is their first BWF World Tour victory in two years, the last being the Odisha Open in 2022.

However, India fell short in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles finals. The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost to Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran. Despite winning the first game 21-18, they couldn’t maintain momentum and lost the next two games 14-21, 8-21.

In the men’s doubles final, the duo of Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K put up a valiant effort against China’s Huang Di and Liu Yang. Despite a comeback in the second game to level the match, they ultimately lost 14-21, 21-19, 17-21.

While India narrowly missed a clean sweep, the tournament highlighted the nation’s growing strength in badminton, with standout performances from its top players across multiple categories.

The post India Shines at Syed Modi India International: Sindhu Ends Title Drought, Secures Three Titles appeared first on FolksTimes.