It hasn’t exactly been an easy season for Lakshya Sen. Yes, he reached the All England Open finals in March but continued to suffer early round exits thereafter. But as the season is drawing to a close, India’s ace men’s singles shuttler is hitting top form.
Fresh off his triumph at the Hylo Open in Germany at the start of the month, the world No.13 Indian produced another masterclass by advancing to the final of the Japan Masters in Kumamoto. With the win, Sen has become the first-ever Indian to reach the summit clash of the Super 500 tournament since its inception in 2023.
The path to history, however, was hard fought. Sen had to dig deep in a gruelling 70-minute semi-final against Indonesian sixth seed Alwi Farhan before prevailing 21-12, 15-21, 21-11 at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium. This was Sen’s first win in three meetings over the world No.10.
The match was dictated by momentum shifts. Sen started strongly, dominating the pace and comfortably sealing the opening game. But rising Indonesian shuttler Farhan showed immense resilience to fight back in the second game and level the contest, exploiting small lapses in concentration.
Undeterred, Sen recalibrated his strategy, seized control in the decider, and romped home to victory. The win marked the eighth seed’s second consecutive final appearance on the BWF World Tour.
Reflecting on his historic run, Sen admitted that the journey has been immensely satisfying, especially after improving on his semi-final finish from last year.
“It feels very good to play here. Last time I was in the semi-finals, so I was looking to better the result from last time,” Sen said in the mixed zone after the match. “I’m happy with the way I played. Now it’s time to recover and get ready for a very tough match tomorrow.”
The physical and mental demands of the semi-final required sharp tactical execution, particularly during the third game’s crucial interval.
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“It was important that I keep the lead in the third game from the beginning,” Sen said. “Once it was 11-6, I changed the side. It was important for the next three points to be very sharp, be attacking, and it helped me. Then the score from four points became seven, and then it was quite comfortable in the third game.”
Much of Sen’s recent resurgence can be traced back to a vital physical and mental reset before his title run at the Hylo Open. Returning home for Diwali provided the perfect opportunity to spend time with family and recharge.
“Hylo Open was a really tough tournament and I took some time to prepare for this tournament,” Sen said. “Back home, it was Diwali, so I went back home to my family and really recovered well. I’m happy with the way I’m playing here.”
This run marks Lakshya’s third final of the season. He had reached the prestigious All England Open final in March before a poor run which finally ended with his title in Germany. While the All England heartbreak remains a lingering memory, his current form suggests a player rediscovering his rhythm.
Sen has also had a distinct transformation in his gameplay over recent weeks. His trademark court coverage, characterised by smooth, fluid movement and an extraordinary ability to retrieve seemingly lost shuttles, has returned in full force, erasing the struggles with form that plagued him earlier in the season.
Despite the mounting stakes and back-to-back title chases, Sen appears relaxed and liberated from undue pressure.
“I guess I’m not taking so much pressure now because these are good performances,” he said. “Tomorrow, I go with a very free mindset of just performing my best and not thinking too much about the results. I am really enjoying playing the final again.”
Standing between Sen and his second title of the season is local favourite Koki Watanabe, who caused a massive upset by beating Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn in three games in the other semi-final. Sen has a 4-3 record against Watanabe. But the world No.15 won the last two contests — both this year — between them.
