Lakshya Sen vs Lin Chun-Yi Highlights, All England Open Badminton Final 2026: Lakshya goes down fighting 15-21, 20-22

Q: Good fight from you, given the condition you were in. We saw that you were struggling a bit with the physical. But you gave us a good fight today. Just your thoughts.

Lakshya Sen: Yes, I think it was a good match today. The first set was... I think he was a better player, but in the second game I could have finished off better. But I'm happy with the way I played throughout the week. Pretty emotional right now, thinking about the match. But overall, lots of positives to take.

Q: Can you explain to us what kind of physical condition you are in? Yesterday you were cramping, we saw there was a blister on your foot. Now you are limping. Just help us to understand what kind of condition you are in.

Lakshya Sen: Not ideal, to be honest. But when I was playing on court, I was not thinking about anything but to give my best on court. Yesterday I was struggling a bit with cramps, but I had some time to recover. And I couldn't recover 100%. Towards the end of the week, all the players are tired with 4-5 matches. It could have been better, but it is what is.

(Via BWF)

Lin Chun-Yi turned the tables on Sen's idea to up the pace. But in the end he just made life difficult for Sen when defending with the heft on his hits. They are tough to return.

Unlike what I thought, he actually wasn't tentative at the net, and controlled well from there.

LCY's attack torrented upon the Indian. It's a game style Sen will have to counter with line precision that was a wee off today.

But what a week Sen has given All England and Indian fans.

In the glorious tradition of Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag, Sen remains an entertainer, and a gritty, gritty athlete start to finn.

-- Shivani Naik

What a year it is turning into for Lin Chun-Yi! India Open Super 750 title All England Open Super 1000 title He has long been considered one of the most exciting talents (Lin-like!) and now he is producing the titles to show for it.

LIN CHUN YI CREATES HISTORY FOR CHINESE TAIPEI!

The first men's singles title for TPE at All England.

WHAT A RALLY! Lin Chun Yi is on his knees on the court as Lakshya somehow, somehow scrambles around the court to defend and win the point. Saves match point.

20-20!

Superb reflexes from Lin as Lakshya tried to surprise him witjh a flatter push.

And Lakshya makes it 19-19 with an attacking return himself, pushes it to the far corner and puts away the smash.

A SLICE SMASH! Lakshya is getting creative here. Goes up high on both feet, and instead of hitting a full blooded smash, slices it ever so slightly and it catches Lin completely on the backfoot. Falls in front of him.

WHAT. A. RALLY. Lakshya Sen with ridiculous defensive hustle. Lin Chun-Yi goes smash, smash, smash. Lakshya somehow, somehow keeps the shuttle alive and a defensive block loops over Lin for a winner. Longest, best rally of the match.

That's a bad miss from Lin as Lakshya gets the serve back at 14-11.Lin then responds with a SUPERB leap at the net to put away a backhand in style. That is superb control.

Oh that is a bad miss from Lakshya. Did so well to keep the shuttle alive with a forehand block when he read the Lin smash correctly. But in trying to kill the rally, he pushes the shuttle wide.

Lakshya Sen heads into the interval with a three point lead. He will need to find himself a cushion here (on the scoreboard, although a cushion off court would be nice too) because Lin will eventually re-find his level.

He might not be at 100% but with Lakshya Sen, you are never far away from the spectacular. Super diving forehand and then jumps across to play a beautiful backhand winner.

Lin Chun Yi has completely gone off the boil now. Error after error and he is remonstrating with himself.

33 shot rally. The new longest of the match. Lakshya tried to increase the pace halfway through and hit a stinging smash but Lin managed to return it and in the end, his movement is clearly hampered as he is finding himself in awkward positions midcourt. Loses two straight points in that manner as he is off blanace.

There's a reason Lin Chun-Yi gets compared to Lin Dan. It's not just the leftie angles. It's that economy of movements, though he's a quarter of SuperDan's level still. His defense is porous too.

One think Sen is bound to try is engage him at the net and then use the flicks.

- Shivani Naik

Lin Chun-Yi leads all the way from start to end... and eventually a comfortable margin. Lakshya caught up a couple of times, but despite his movement looking alright, it was more massaging for Lakshya during the timeout.

Lakshya made to lunge forward for a lift and there is just a little bit of extra height... and that is enough for Lin to put away the winner.

Five game points for Lin and he needs just one, as Lakshya's return of serve sails over the backline.

You'd imagine Lakshya's best best today was to win in straight games... let's see what he has in the tank now.

Another longish rally, but Lin's smash comes to his rescue again... that has got some serious sting to it! When he gets the height to work with, it usually spells danger for his opponents.

A tight net exchange but Lakshya's attempted lift goes into the net and it is an easy put away for Lin.

Lakshya is now-or-never territory for the opening game. Plays a nice early forehand tap midcourt to catch Lin flatfooted.

A lovely lift from Lakshya as the shuttle lands in on the backline.

Oh that is a stunning touch from Lin, showing he is not just about the smashes. Delightful backhand as the net catches the top of the tape. Lin then smashes another overhead winner.

Lakshya is loosening himself up... not sure if that's nerves or tension in the muscles.

His defense is sensational, but Sen's round the head smash that goes straight, down the line, is an underrated weapon.

Slice drops yes, but that round the head deep is a biomechanical wonder.

Meanwhile, in Lin Chun-Yi's corner is Tai Tzu-Ying's coach Lai Chien-cheng.

Shivani Naik

Looks like Lin has a blood injury? Surprisingly though the umpire asks him to wipe it off and continue. Looks like the finger got jammed.

THAT IS A STUNNING SHOT! Lakshya slipped at the frontcourt mid-rally but recovers well to keep the exchange alive.

And then, at the end of 29-shot rally, a DELICIOUS winner, playing a reverse slice to Lin's backhand side that catches him on the backfoot. Superb deception.

One-point game now.

Lakshya Sen catches the sideline with what seemed like a mishit slice in real time. But Lin loses a review challenging that.

A little fist pump from Lakshya after Lin misses a smash and he is starting to gain a footing in this match.

There is that signature smash from Lin. Down the line to Lakshya's backhand. Even his regular half smashes have a super steep angle to them.

What a rally, great defending from Lin earlier in the rally but Lakshya seals the point with a lovely backhand at the net.

5 hours and 16 mins for Lakshya on court, more than an hour compared to Lin.

Lakshya Sen has been on court for a long, long time this week. It's going to be a massive physical test.

Lakshya Sen vs Lin Chun-Yi. Both players are on the court. Lakshya's never beaten Lin Chun-Yi, but it's been a week of arresting many streaks... one more?

Here's a look at the four past meetings between Lakshya and LCY.

Here we go then, with the Mixed Doubles final coming to an end, and the presentation ceremony done, it is time for Lakshya Sen vs Lin Chun-Yi in the Men's Singles final.

Lookback at India Open:

Two disciplines where India had the best chance of a final appearance or even a title were men's singles and men's doubles. Lakshya Sen showed glimpses of his best in the wins against Ayush Shetty – the youngster commenting that when he is in this mode Lakshya can feel invincible – and Kenta Nishimoto. Satwik-Chirag came into the week hoping that the tournament can help end their long wait for a title (they didn't win any in 2025 despite a few semifinals and finals appearances). But both of them were stumped by speedy opponents in drift-y conditions.

It was a common theme over the week too, with the wind inside the arena – a steady natural breeze and not the air-conditioning induced drift that is more common in the sport – favouring players who rely on their speed on court and sharp attacks. Many who lost their matches attributed defeats to not being able to control the shuttle and the inability to adapt to court conditions quicker than their opponents. Lakshya, who has now lost three in a row against Lin Chun-yi over the last year, was able to use the conditions to his advantage against a rallier like Nishimoto. But Lin's speed of attacks and his own flurry of length errors when hitting with the drift meant he was stumped

Lakshya Sen after marathon All England win against Victor Lai: 'Plan was to finish off rally in first few shots when I started cramping'

t is not something you see often in a badminton match. At the final change of ends in the decider against Victor Lai, Lakshya Sen lay down on his back on the floor near his bench as his coach Yoo Yong Sung and physio Satej furiously massaged his legs. He had a lead to protect and the willpower to win, but the body was starting to act up out of sheer exertion from all the epic rallies they had been contesting. At one point after play resumed, when he was rightly shown a yellow card for delay, the chair umpire told Lakshya 'continue playing or retire'. But somehow, Lakshya found reserve fuel in his tank, started attacking early during rallies and came through an extraordinary 97-minute clash to book his place in the All England final for a second time.

"Starting of the third set, I could feel a bit of cramps in the legs and I didn't know if I could go all the way," Lakshya told BWF. "I was just trying to fight every point... (telling myself) just one more point, and didn't think too much ahead." Did he think the strategy to go aggressive with the smashes, leaping high despite the cramp, could have backfired on him? He let out a chuckle. "I think that was the only plan: to finish off the rally in the first few shots and not let the rallies go very long because he was playing very steadily. Both of us were really tired to push the pace, but I think in the end it was important that I increased the pace a little bit."

Finally, when Sen reached 18-15, Lai smashed wide and then the Indian dashed to the net for a scythe, and at 20-15 sent a perfect high lift that Lai smashed into the net. It was a brutal test of stamina, where even applause stood still in awe, and Sen willed his legs to forget pain.

If it comes on Sunday against Lin Chun-Yi of Taiwan in the finals, this All England title would’ve taken 25 long years since India’s last. Those 97 minutes of a titanic tug of war in semis, felt like 25 years themself.

Shivani Naik

Hello and welcome to our continued live coverage of Indian badminton... today, is a big one. The All England Open final.

And what a week it has been in Birmingham for Lakshya Sen. He started off against the world No 1 Shi Yu Qi, an opponent he had not beaten in four previous attempts on the BWF World Tour. Check. He then faced a Hong Kong veteran in NG Ka Long Angus, who he had not beaten in three previous meetings. Check. In the quarterfinals, it was a familar foe in Li Shi Feng, a shuttler who Lakshya has been up against since his junior days and had gotten the better of the Indian in three previous meetings. Check. In the semifinal, it was the first time he faced the Canadian trailblazer Victor Lai, and in gruelling contest, was strugggling with cramp at the end. Will he able to finish the match? Check.

So here we are, on a Sunday at the All England Open, where Indian badminton hopes to see the end of a long wait. One that has gone on since 2001. Stay tuned for all the build-up.