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3 min readMumbaiApr 24, 2026 02:23 PM IST
Satwik-Chirag in action. (BAI photo)
India started horrendously against Canada as Victory Lai put up the expected resistance to Lakshya Sen, and exacted revenge for the All England semifinals defeat. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty levelled the scores 1-1 after defeating Jonathan Bing Tsan Lai and Kevin Lee, 21-10, 21-11 in 29 minutes.
A flashy, fancy backhand pirouette jump flick from Sen landed in the net underwhelmingly midway through first set, and was an early indicator that India might start with a stutter against tricky Canada. The north American team’s first two singles were bound to be dicey for Sen and Ayush Shetty who will face Brian Yang. But Sen had taken his first set lead to take the opener 21-18 using his net drops. However, when Lai pulled back from 14-18 to 18-19, it was apparent, that the compulsive retriever won’t be shrugged off easily.
FILE: Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen in action. (Express Photo | Abhinav Saha)
Sen once again got into the high work rate – low returns style, where he allows games to drift into deciders. The Indian trailed 2-7 in the second and was 7-12 down around the interval. Sen did well to level at 12, but was two steps behind as Lai increased his attacking speed holding onto the lead dearly. Sen scrambled to make it 19-all, but Lai was not to be denied a decider.
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The Indian was nowhere in the third set, sluggish and dragging his feet, and the Canadian had his revenge after losing at Birmingham. Four years ago, India had faced off against a much weaker Canada, with Priyanshu Rajawat downing Lai easily in third singles. But he has since risen to Top 20 and is a formidable opponent.
It is now upto Ayush Shetty, Hari-Arjun and Srikanth to wrap up the tie after Satwik-Chirag were clinical against Lai-Lee. Ayush will take on Yang and hope to settle a score from Swiss Open. Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun are key in the Canada tie against Alexander Ty-Yakura Nyl. Kidambi Srikanth will need to play Joshua Nguyen in third singles, for all possible points.
Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More
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