Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen continued his impressive run at the All England Open 2025, storming into the quarter-finals of the men’s singles event with a dominant straight-game victory over defending champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.
Sen, currently ranked 15th in the world, showcased complete control over his higher-ranked world No. 2 opponent, clinching a 21-13, 21-10 win in just 36 minutes. The Indian shuttler never trailed in the first game and comfortably closed out the second, maintaining a significant lead at the break. This victory was a sweet revenge for Sen, who had lost to Christie in the semi-finals of last year’s tournament.
The 2024 Paris Olympics semi-finalist will now face China’s world No. 6 Shi Feng Li, the reigning Asian Games champion, for a spot in the semi-finals.
Chirag-Satwik Pull Out Due to Injury
India’s top-ranked men’s doubles pair, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, suffered a setback as they were forced to withdraw from their round of 16 match due to Chirag’s back muscle strain.
The world No. 12 Indian duo had lost the opening game 16-21 and were tied 2-2 in the second against China’s Xie Hao Nan and Zeng Wei Han (world No. 33) when Chirag’s injury forced them to concede the match. The withdrawal comes as a blow to India’s doubles campaign, as Chirag-Satwik were among the strong contenders for the title.
Treesa-Gayatri Stun Korean Pair in Women’s Doubles
In a thrilling women’s doubles contest, India’s Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand staged a remarkable comeback to beat the eighth-seeded South Korean duo of Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong.
After losing the first game 15-21, the Indian pair fought back to take the second 21-18. They trailed 12-15 in the deciding game but turned the tide with a spirited performance, sealing the victory 15-21, 21-18, 21-18 to enter the quarter-finals.
PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, and Mixed Doubles Team Crash Out
While Sen and Treesa-Gayatri kept India’s hopes alive, PV Sindhu suffered an early exit from the tournament, crashing out in the first round on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, world No. 28 Malvika Bansod faced a tough challenge against Japan’s world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi, a two-time world champion, and lost 16-21, 13-21 in the women’s singles event.
In mixed doubles, India’s Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Gadde also bowed out, losing 12-21, 10-21 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Wei Ya Xin.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Lakshya Sen and Treesa-Gayatri as they aim to make deeper runs in their respective categories.
