Birmingham, March 7: India’s Lakshya Sen secured his place in the final of the All England Open Badminton Championships on Saturday, overcoming a spirited challenge from Canada’s Victor Lai in a grueling three-game semifinal. The world No. 12 triumphed 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 in a match that lasted one hour and 37 minutes, marking his second appearance in the final of the prestigious Super 1000 tournament.

The match at the Utilita Arena was a physically demanding encounter for both players. Sen took the opening game 21-16, utilizing aggressive smashes and maintaining a narrow lead throughout. However, the 21-year-old Lai, who made history as the first Canadian man to reach an All England semifinal, responded in the second game. All England Open 2026: Lakshya Sen Upsets Defending Champion Shi Yuqi in Opening Round.

Lakshya Sen Defeats Victor Lai To Enter All England Championships 2026 Final

Lai capitalized on a series of long rallies—including one that spanned 67 shots—to take the second set 21-18. During this period, Sen required a brief medical timeout to address blisters on his foot, a factor that appeared to hamper his movement as the match entered a deciding third game.

Decisive Third Game

Despite the physical toll, Sen regained his composure in the final set. He took an early 11-7 lead into the mid-game interval and managed to maintain his cushion as Lai began to show signs of exhaustion.

The Indian shuttler eventually sealed the victory with a sharp forehand put-away, ending Lai's historic run. The win improves Sen's record at the All England Open, where he previously finished as runner-up in 2022. All England Open Championships 2026: Lakshya Sen Upsets Sixth Seed Li Shi Feng To Reach Semi-Finals.

Tournament Context and Final Matchup

Sen’s journey to the 2026 final has been characterized by victories over several high-ranking opponents. His path included a first-round upset of world No. 1 Shi Yuqi and a straight-games quarterfinal win over sixth seed Li Shifeng, avenging a loss from the previous year.

Sen is the only remaining Indian player in the tournament. Earlier in the week, the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty exited in the first round, while PV Sindhu was forced to withdraw before the tournament due to travel disruptions.

The Road to the Title

Lakshya Sen will face Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi in the championship match on Sunday. Lin advanced to the final after defeating the second seed and reigning world champion, Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, in three games. Sen will be looking to become only the third Indian to win the All England men’s singles title, following in the footsteps of Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001).

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2026 09:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).