The wait for another men’s singles champion at the All England continues but after what Lakshya Sen produced in Birmingham last week, the wait feels shorter than ever.
Sen walked away with a runner-up finish, going down 21-15, 22-20 to Lin Chun Yi of Chinese Taipei in Sunday’s final. But the scoreline only tells half the story. The Indian shuttler had spent the better part of five gruelling days on court, grinding through long three-set battles, fighting off cramps and blisters in the semifinals, and still walking out for the final with everything he had left.
The week began with what Sen himself described as feeling like a final before the tournament had even truly started a first-round clash against world number one Shi Yuqi. He won. Then came Angus Ng Ka Long, Li Shi Feng, and Victor Lai, each match longer and more physical than the last.
“Right from day one, there were long matches,” Sen said while addressing the media in a virtual press interaction facilitated by BAI, “and eventually the muscles got tired.” By the time the semifinal was done, the cramps had turned severe. “Few rallies I had to just leave because the rallies were going quite long,” he admitted. Yet he recovered, regrouped, and showed up for the final because that is precisely the kind of player he has become.
What separated this run from his 2022 All England final appearance wasn’t just the quality of his badminton it was the weight he carried into each match. “The first time, I was probably still dreaming that whole week,” Sen reflected. “This time I had that belief throughout the tournament that I can win it. I can still win it.” That shift from wide-eyed finalist to genuine title contender is perhaps the most significant development in his game.
Against Victor Lai in the semis, facing an opponent he had never played before, Sen studied, planned, and executed. Tactically, it was one of his sharpest performances of the week patient in the rallies, precise with his counterattacks, and mentally locked in even as the cramps began to bite in the third set. “I was just trying to play one more point, one more point, and see how far I can go,” he said.
The final, ultimately, came down to inches and exhaustion. At 20-19 in the second game, with a match point against him, Sen saved it and pushed to deuce drawing the loudest roar of the night from the arena. Lin held his nerve and closed it out. “The second game, I maybe could have finished off better,” Sen admitted. “But when I was on court, I wasn’t thinking about anything except giving my best.”
Off court, Sen has been doing quiet but significant work on the mental side of his game, working with mental coach Martin Brockman for close to a year now. “I’ve learned so many new things about mental training, approaching big tournaments differently,” he said. “Be extra motivated for the big ones and perform when it really matters.” It showed in the composure under cramps, in the refusal to buckle at match point, in the belief that never left his eyes even in defeat.
In the end Lakshya said, “I hope that gives a lot of confidence to young players as well, who can come and dream to play in big tournaments.” to all the upcoming players and fans back home.
For Indian badminton, the moment carries weight beyond the result. Sen has become only the second Indian man after Prakash Padukone to reach the All-England final twice. The title remains elusive. The belief, however, has never looked more real, because for Sen, The SKY Is the Limit!
