Lakshya Sen. (Pic Credit – X)

NEW DELHI: Star Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen delivered a sensational performance to defeat world No. 2 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in straight games, securing a spot in the men’s singles quarterfinals of the All England Championships in Birmingham on Thursday.
The Indian shuttler needed just 36 minutes to dismantle the third-seeded Christie 21-13, 21-10 in a one-sided contest.
With this victory, Lakshya narrowed his head-to-head record against Christie to 3-4. This was their first meeting since the Paris Olympics, and Lakshya showcased his dominance from the outset with a clinical display of skill and strategy.
Using his agility and court coverage to his advantage, Lakshya took an early 11-7 lead at the mid-game break in the first game. Christie briefly mounted a comeback, capitalising on Lakshya’s unforced errors to level the score at 12-12.
However, the Indian quickly regained control, shifting gears to storm through the rest of the match and seal his place in the quarterfinals with ease.
While Lakshya advanced, India’s women’s singles campaign came to an end as Malvika Bansod lost in straight games to Japan’s two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi.
The world No. 3 Yamaguchi cruised past Malvika 21-16, 21-13 in just 33 minutes, extending her head-to-head record against the Indian to 4-0.
Malvika struggled with consistency, often sending shots wide, long, or into the net. Yamaguchi took control early, using sharp drop shots and precise placements to gain the upper hand. Malvika stayed competitive until 13-15 in the opening game, but the Japanese star pulled away with a flurry of points to seal it comfortably.
In the second game, Malvika showed early resilience, leveling the scores at 5-5 and 8-8. However, Yamaguchi swiftly regained momentum, surging ahead after the interval. With a commanding lead, the Japanese shuttler wrapped up the match with a powerful smash on her second match point.
India’s campaign suffered another setback on Wednesday as two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu crashed out of the women’s singles event, ending her run at the prestigious tournament.
With Lakshya Sen keeping India’s hopes alive, all eyes will be on his quarterfinal performance as he aims to make deeper inroads into the competition.