India’s star shuttler Lakshya Sen created history today, entering the final of the All England Open Badminton Championships. He defeated Canada’s Victor Lai 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 in a thrilling semifinal that lasted 97 minutes. With this win, Sen joined Prakash Padukone to become only the second Indian to make it to the final of the tournament multiple times. He had made it to the summit clash of the competition in 2022 and finished as the runner-up. However, this time around, the 24-year-old will be hoping to become only the third Indian to win the All England Open.
He will face Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in the final, who is coming with a win over second-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 21-14, 18-21, 21-16. Coming back to Lakshya Sen, he braved an injury during the thrilling semifinal to end up on the right side of the result.
Before him, only Prakash Padukone had played the finals of the All England Open twice. He won the tournament in 1980 and was the runner-up in the very next year. Apart from him, Pullela Gopichand won the competition in the men’s singles category back in 2001. Since then, no Indian, men or women, has managed to win the prestigious tournament, which is considered no less than the world championships.
Who are the other Indians to play the final of All England Open?
While Lakshya Sen and Prakash Padukone made it to the final of the All England Open multiple times, two more Indian shuttlers defied all the odds and qualified for the final. Prakash Nath did so way back in 1947 but lost to Denmark’s Conny Jepsen. Saina Nehwal is other Indian and only female to qualify for the final of the tournament. She did so in 2015 when she was at her prime but missed the crown, losing to Spain’s star shuttler Carolina Marin 21-16, 14-21, 7-21.
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