Lakshya Sen vs Shi Yu Qi, Badminton World Championships 2025 Highlights: Lakshya goes down fighting 17-21 19-21

Complete no contest in the 2nd game, Hariharan and Ruban disappointing as they lose 15-21 5-21. The Indians never more than one consecutive point.

Things have unravelled a bit here for the Indians, Liu and Yang are racing away. 

The Indians drop the opening game. Hariharan and Ruban have both been solid enough defensively but don't seem to have enough attacking options to close out the points. The leftie Yang Po Han is meanwhile causing all sort of problems with his angles.

The Indians trail 8-11 in the opening game at the mid point. They have Tan Kim Her and Summeeth Reddy on the coaching bench. 

Watch highlights of Lakshya vs Shi Yuqi here:

Top seed Shi Yu Qi ?? contests Lakshya Sen ?? in the round of 64.#BWFWorldChampionships #Paris2025 pic.twitter.com/dK95lTJxtv

— BWF (@bwfmedia) August 25, 2025

One last match for the Indian contingent today. Players on court for this men's doubles clash. 

Lakshya Sen is no clueless American named Emily, but he definitely is ‘on the precipice of the rest of his life’ after a second failed stab at a medal in Paris, like the web series noted. That is to say, a major shakeup is necessary if Sen doesn’t want to dawdle away a very promising career, waiting for medals to happen.

Paris may or might not be the best place for singles. But don’t try playing singles at a Badminton World Championships, with a doubles coach, who might not have the pin-point advice that can yank you out of a defensive quagmire, no matter how spectacular that diving retrieving looks. A 21-17, 21-19 scoreline for 54 minutes against World No Shi Yuqi is huge props for how well Sen fought to survive, but Korean coach Yoo Yong-sung would know he was nowhere close to even taking a lead against the Chinese World No 1.

Read more by Shivani Naik here.

PV Sindhu, India's most successful athlete at the event with five medals, and HS Prannoy, the country's most recent medallist after his triumph in Copenhagen, begin their campaigns on Tuesday with winnable fixtures. Sindhu takes on world No 69 Kaloyana Nalbantova ahead of sterner tests to come. Prannoy, who has now slid down to world No 34, takes on Finnish world No 48 Joakim Oldorff. 

That escalated quickly in the end, Lambert-Pognante cruise through the final few exchanges. A terrific drop shot winner from Lambert, the former world No 13 with her previous partner. Young Pognante struggled in parts but Lambert's experience carries the French through. Decent flashes from the Indians but not consistent enough. 

Oh dear, just as we thought there is a still fight on, match points for the home duo. 

The French duo were threatening to open up a decisive lead but a couple of crucial points helps close the gap to just 1 point. The Indians fighting. 

A good little phase for the Indians, Shruti has taken charge of the proceedings with really good defending, lifting the shuttle consistently, extending the rallies and forcing errors from the French. And just like that, the Indians have sneaked ahead. 

The exchange before the interval was 64 shots, commentator Gill Clark confirms. The longest rally of the match indeed.

After a sloppy phase of play from both pairs, a terrific rally! We don't get to see the count of shots but that will surely be the longest rally of the match heading into the interval of Game 2. The Indians, especially Shruti, does really well in defence. But the winner comes from the French side down the middle. 

Not your typical women's doubles match, this one. Just 18 minutes for the opening game, despite some good fight from ther Indians in patches. 

51-shots rally! Lovely point, the Indians win the point. 

The commentators point out the lack of coaches for Indians, not something unique on tour this year if we are honest. 

A 32-shot rally, the longest of the match so far, as the Indians make it 10-10. Good patient working of the corners. The French pair do take a lead into the interval. 

That is a terrific rally. It's been a close start but Lambert, the most senior player in this match, is showing her class. For the second time a superb change of direction with a flat crosscourt for winners. 

Priya-Shruti on court for their match against Lambert-Pognante, a French pair. The Indians seem to be enjoying the reception for the French pair too, Paris once again turning up with good volume, just like last year. Lambert reached as high as world No 13 with her previous partner Anne Tran. 

Another women's doubles match coming up for the Indian contingent next.

Easy does it. A close start to the match but the Stoeva sisters eventually much more comfortable against the Panda sisters in an easy straight-games win.

Once again, a relatively tight start to the game but the Stoevas pull ahead from 5-5 to take a 11-6 lead in Game 2. 

WOW, that escalated quickly. The Panda sisters looked all at sea after the mid-game interval, from 11-10 the Stoeva sisters raced through the 2nd half where the Indians won just 2 more points. 

It's been a pretty even start to this match and credit to the Pandas for keeping things tight. They opened up a lead and then the Stoevas came back to eventually take a 1-point lead into the break. 

Battle of the sisters about to begin as Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda take on Bulgaria's Stefani Stoeva and Gabriela Stoeva.

It's the 2nd meeting between the two pairs. The Bulgarians start heavy favourites. 

Screengrab: JioHotstar

Other Indians in action on the opening day are Priya Konjengbam–Shruti Mishra and Panda sisters — Rutuparna and Swetaparna — in women’s doubles. In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruben Rethinasabapathi will be on court much later in the night. 

A few explosive accelerations at the net to get to 16-17 in the second, made it appear like Sen had a chance. But far too few to matter in the end. Sen looked like he cleared the air about the bounced shuttle pick up that took him to 19-all. It turned Yuqi more aggressive though, and he took the next two points with mild vengeance. No Paris comeback for Sen. And his coaching needs a massive reboot, amongst other things.

Shivani Naik 

A 54-minute match for two games! That tells you the story. It wasn't one-sided by any stretch of imagination. Shi knew he was in a proper fight. Lakshya pushed the world's best player to his limits. That was a really high quality match in the opening round.

SHI YU QI PREVAILS! That point could have derailed most players but Shi Yu Qi is where he is for a reason. He doesn't let that faze him and closes the match out. Lakshya played a really good match, truth be told. But had he been at this level at other points this year, maybe he wouldn't have had to face Shi Yu Qi in the opening round. 

DRAMA! Shi Yu Qi is convinced the point is over, that the shuttle has hit the floor. But Shi hits the net and he can't believe that it has not been called by the chair umpire. Another case for VAR in badminton. Should have been match point for Shi but Lakshya draws level.

Lakshya pulls off a miraculous save on defence with Shi dominating the point. Shi had done this earlier.

Lakshya pounces at the net as Shi's backhand block is a bit loose. Good intent from Lakshya, read the point well.

WHAT A RALLY! I am not sure the scoreboard reflects it... but the quality of some of the rallies in this match has been breathtaking to watch. A brilliant rally from both players again, and Shi nails a forehand smash down the line. Lakshya is almost incredulous that has landed in, challenges it anyway and is out of reviews now. 

Oh a great net shot from Shi, and Lakshya's lift is loose as the shuttle dribbles over the net. The Indian can't do much about that. 

Finally, Lakshya finding some good angles on the court. A series of quickfire points and some bounce in Lakshya's steps. A fist pump after a smash floors Shi on his forehand flank. Gap down to 2! Can he turn this around? 

Finally a smash winner from Lakshya that caught Shi off guard. We haven't seen too many of that at all. 

UFF! That is explosive smashing from Shi. That's the speed we were talking about. The stat pops up on screen... 414kph winner! Lakshya could barely react. 

Shi has this languid ease about his game... sometimes he can slow the rally down to Kodai-pace but he has that shift of gear that often kills rallies. A 44-shot rally there! Lakshya's patience being tested, these are the points that Lakshya should be winning when he is at his best. 

Paris is bringing the absolute football din to Adidas Arena. That's proper noise. Makes you wonder if players don't simply get conditioned to it and it stops bothering them, so why the fuss about silence demanded when serving. With four courts in operation it's never really meditative silence afforded to shuttlers.  Also, is noise in an alien language not noise at all?

Shivani Naik

From 5-3, Lakshya is down 7-11. That is a potentially cost run of points for Lakshya, this match is decisively getting away from him. The commentator makes the point that Lakshya has given up quite a few points while going for crosscourt shots, perhaps he is not playing to the sideways drift. 

Another handy lead for Shi here. Lakshya started the game well but it is starting to get away from the Indian. 

Another patient rally from both players, neither going too hard on the smashes... perhaps that's the point Lakshya's Korean coach was mentioning. Lakshya gets the mid-court exchange that time. 

A crazy block from Shi as Lakshya looked to put away a point at the net. Lakshya is too close to the net then and the shuttle loops over his head! The Indian does get the serve back with a good crosscourt smash. He needs a run of points... he needs it now. 

DK Sen pointed out "Bohot cross khelela woh" 

That across the body defense on backhand is a bigger nuisance for the back. SYQ has that pat.

Shivani Naik

Lakshya loses a review early on in Game 2, challenging a call on the Shi's forehand flank. It is well wide. Shi draws level. Lakshya needs to apply some scoreboard pressure here soon, you feel. Can't afford to fall back. 

Lakshya has the edge in the earlier exchanges of Game 2. Still no great evidence that one end is better to play than the other. 

Korean coach Yoo says the shuttle is slow so that first smash is not really making the inroads that Lakshya is hoping for. He is advising to go more for half smashes. Father DK Sen too urging caution to Shi going crosscourt every chance he gets. 

Not much of a coherent gameplan from Lakshya Sen, except staying alive in the rally. It's pretty clear, he who controls the net, will control the game. Also because of the sideways drift. But a phlegmatic Sen isn't necessarily a clueless Sen-brain. Shi Yuqi is getting boggled on the tumbles, actually both are. But Sen can tug advantage his way when he takes control of the net and pushes the Chinese back. Wild smashes going for lines are terrible option, and the net kills need to be decisive. He has to steal and pilfer and tease away points, Sen does. 

An earlier update from Shivani Naik

Lakshya has given it a good go but it is the world No 1 who takes the lead.

A 26-minutes opening game! There have been matches shorter than that too today. 

WHAT A POINT! WOW! That is another sensational rally. Lakshya nailed a brilliant smash early in the point, but Shi somehow returned it. The Indian actually had a couple of looks at killing the point. But Shi prevails in the end. Game points. 

MASSIVE RALLY! Lakshya Sen wins a huge point, that started off with high tempo and then both players had to slow the pace down significantly. In the end, Shi sends the shuttle wide. 

52 SHOTS! LONGEST OF THE MATCH SO FAR.

Well, this could be decisive again. Once more, just as Lakshya closed the gap, Shi has increased the intensity and it has paid off. Another precise smash that Lakshya can't get over the net. 

Shi Yu Qi turns up the heat again just when he needed to, when he nails that smash Lakshya is scrambling. He is on the floor again and this time Shi's smash is good enough. 

Lakshya gets the serve back immediately, good work on the defensive side again, a block catches Shi short at the net and the lift is then put away. And Lakshya follows that up with a superb close-control winner at the net. One point in it again. 

Shi's attacks are carrying a lot more venom than Lakshya's, that's been the biggest point of difference so far. A good crosscourt smash from Shi and Lakshya can't get it over. 

Shi controlled that rally pretty much throughout, looked to finish off the point with a down-the-line smash to Lakshya's forehand side but just misses the line. Lakshya was scrambling there but gets the point. Gap down to 2.