Lakshya Sen Strikes Gold Standard: World No.1 Knocked Out In Round Of 32 Shock

Last Updated:March 03, 2026, 20:24 IST

Twelfth seed Lakshya Sen upset world No. 1 Shi Yuqi 23-21, 19-21, 21-17 at the All England Open 2026 in Birmingham.

Twelfth seed Lakshya Sen delivered one of the standout upsets of the opening round at the All England Open 2026, knocking out world No. 1 Shi Yuqi 23-21, 19-21, 21-17 at the Utilita Arena Birmingham.

It was a statement win, and a rare one. The victory marked only Sen’s second career triumph over Shi, the first coming at the 2022 Asian Games team event. This time, he needed one hour and 18 minutes to dethrone the defending champion in a high-quality Round of 32 clash.

A Nerve-Test in the Opener

Sen struck first in a tense opening game built on patience and precision. The defining moment came in a marathon 35-shot rally at game point.

Neither player blinked. Safe returns. No reckless winners. Just raw discipline.

Sen finally forced the error, and after surviving multiple deuces and a fierce Shi fightback, edged it 23-21.

Shi Hits Back

Champions respond, and Shi did exactly that. Trailing 6-8 in the second game, the Chinese star shifted gears, reeling off five rapid points to grab control at 11-8.

Despite Sen’s varying pace and angles, Shi held his nerve to take it 21-19 and force a decider.

Composure Under Fire

The third game turned into a war of attrition. Sen built a slim cushion as Shi’s errors crept in. There was late drama — a nervy baseline miss from Sen and a successful Shi review, but the Indian recalibrated quickly.

As pressure mounted, Shi’s frustration became visible. Sen stayed composed and closed it out 21-17, avenging his Paris defeat in style.

Sen next faces Ng Ka Long in the Round of 16.

Elsewhere, Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila advanced with a straight-games win, while Malvika Bansod fell to Chen Yufei.

News sports badminton Lakshya Sen Strikes Gold Standard: World No.1 Knocked Out In Round Of 32 Shock

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