Lakshya Sen storms into the final of All England Open 2026

Lakshya Sen produced a warrior-like effort in the men’s singles semifinal of the All England Open 2026, defeating Canada’s Victor Lai in three games in an hour and 37 minutes on Saturday, March 7. Lakshya beat Lai 21-15, 18-21, 21-16 despite battling severe cramps in the deciding game. The final game was a roller-coaster that kept the crowd at the Utilita Birmingham Arena on the edge of their seats.

The match lasted 97 minutes and tested the energy levels and conviction of two young shuttlers. It began with a 52-shot rally, and even in the deciding game there were rallies of more than 40 shots.

Lakshya, who finished runner-up to Viktor Axelsen in his



previous appearance in the final of the prestigious tournament in 2022, will now aim to become only the third Indian after Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand to win the historic Super 1000 title.

"Do you want to play or retire?" the chair umpire asked when Lakshya was leading after the break in the deciding game. The Indian shuttler needed assistance from the physio during the mid-game interval but was still struggling with cramps.

However, Lakshya had the lead in his favour. The adrenaline kicked in after he produced a sensational cross-court smash winner immediately after deciding to continue. He followed it up with a brilliant down-the-line winner.