LONDON, 15 March 2025 – India’s Lakshya Sen saw his All England Open campaign come to an end on Friday after a straight-sets defeat against China’s Li Shifeng in the quarter-finals. Li dominated the contest, securing a commanding 21-10, 21-16 victory in just 45 minutes in Birmingham.
Sen, who reached the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics last year, had raised hopes of a deep run in the tournament after a stunning second-round victory over defending champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. However, the world number 15 was unable to maintain that momentum against the Chinese sixth seed, who proved too strong on the day.
The 23-year-old Indian shuttler had previously enjoyed success at the prestigious event, finishing as runner-up in 2022 and reaching the semi-finals in 2024.
Li Shifeng will now face compatriot and top seed Shi Yuqi in the semi-finals after Shi overcame Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew with a 21-18, 21-16 win. The other semi-final clash will see France’s Alex Lanier take on Taiwan’s Lee Chia-hao. Lanier defeated Wang Tzu-wei of Taiwan 21-19, 21-13, while Lee eased past Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto 21-9, 21-18.
Adding to India’s disappointment, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand suffered a quarter-final defeat in the women’s doubles event. The Indian pair were outclassed by China’s second-seeded duo of Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, who secured a 21-14, 21-10 victory.
Related Context:
Lakshya Sen’s exit is a setback for Indian badminton, especially considering his growing reputation on the international circuit. Having won the Commonwealth Games gold in 2022 and consistently challenging top-ranked players, Sen remains one of India’s brightest badminton prospects. However, his inconsistency in major tournaments has been a concern.
India’s struggles at the All England Open this year highlight the fierce competition at the highest level, particularly with Chinese players continuing to dominate the sport. While Sen’s early exit is disappointing, he will look to regroup ahead of upcoming international tournaments, including the BWF World Championships later this year.