Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen roared back to form, securing his first major title of the season at the USD 475,000 Australian Open Super 500. The 24-year-old from Almora, who had faced a challenging stretch following his fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics, showcased “fast and fluent” control to dispatch World No. 26 Yushi Tanaka of Japan in a swift 38-minute final.
Sen triumphed with a commanding score of 21-15, 21-11, celebrating the victory by putting his fingers in his ears, a gesture symbolizing his return to form after silencing his critics.
Dominant Display Over Tanaka
Facing Tanaka, who had already won two Super 300 titles this year, the 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist displayed sharp placement, clean execution, and exceptional net play.
- First Game (21-15): Lakshya made a confident start, capitalizing on a flurry of errors from the Japanese shuttler. Though Tanaka closed the gap briefly, the Indian maintained control, entering the interval with a three-point lead. Lakshya tightened his grip thereafter, denying Tanaka the length needed for his trademark smashes and converting the game on a net error by the Japanese.
- Second Game (21-11): The second game was a one-sided affair as Lakshya kept up the intensity, playing flat, fast returns. He secured a six-point lead at the interval and swiftly extended it to 17-8, using a barrage of smashes to earn 10 match points. He sealed the title with a sharp cross-court return.
First Super 500 Since 2024
This victory marks a significant resurgence for the reigning Commonwealth Games champion. While he had won a Super 300 title at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024, a top-tier Super 500 crown had eluded him since his triumph at the Canada Open that same year. His previous best performance this year was a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Super 500 in September.
With this win, Lakshya Sen becomes only the second Indian to win a BWF World Tour title this season, following Ayush Shetty’s maiden Super 300 triumph at the US Open.