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2 min readMar 5, 2026 03:44 PM IST
Though the two have not played since May 2023, the Hong Kongese holds a 3-0 h2h advantage over the Indian, built from a very specific style of game. (AP Photo)
Coach Vimal Kumar had joked that next Sunday could witness Lakshya Sen vs Ayush Shetty in the All England finals, though the younger Indian was found wanting in stamina at the finish, leaving only Sen as the Indian capable of going the distance. Yet, a tricky opponent stands in his path – NG Ka Long Angus.
Though the two have not played since May 2023, the Hong Kongese holds a 3-0 h2h advantage over the Indian, built from a very specific style of game.
The reason are the 31-year-old’s deceptions which are always lethal for his Indian challenger half a dozen years his junior.
“Angus is not easy at all, though Lakshya would’ve recovered from a day’s rest,” Vimal Kumar had said. A prowling cat on the court, Angus maximises his movement with shots that at a sustained level, tend to look like crowding and attacking opponents.
He is especially elusive in the deciding sets or the defining second set if he has already won the opener, amping up his second wind, and playing the clutch points with pushed speed.
However, he hasn’t had great results over the last 6 months, and Sen (who hasn’t either till he took out the world champion) will fancy his chances against the gritty opponent.
NG Ka Long has gone tie to toe with HS Prannoy too, and generally a tough one to shake off. He is 4-5 against Srikanth too, and a general nemesis, though his ranking is down to 29 now.
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