Birmingham, United Kingdom: India’s rising badminton star Lakshya Sen delivered an impressive performance to reach the semifinals of the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 after defeating China’s world No. 6 Li Shifeng in straight games.
The 24-year-old Indian shuttler secured the victory in about one hour, winning 21–13, 21–16 in the men’s singles quarterfinal on Friday in Birmingham. With this win, Sen advanced to the last four of the tournament, continuing his strong run in one of badminton’s most prestigious competitions.
Semifinal Clash Ahead
In the semifinal, Sen will face Canada’s Victor Lai, who defeated Japan’s Koki Watanabe in a hard-fought quarterfinal match 18–21, 21–17, 21–15.
Sen is currently the only remaining Indian player in the tournament, after other Indian contenders were eliminated earlier in the competition.
Strong Campaign in Birmingham
Ranked world No. 12, Sen began his campaign with a major upset victory over top seed and defending champion Shi Yuqi. He then advanced past Hong Kong veteran Ng Ka Long Angus in the second round before overcoming Li Shifeng in the quarterfinal.
Sen had entered the match against Li with a 7–7 head-to-head record, highlighting how evenly matched the two players had been in the past.
How the Match Unfolded
Sen adopted an aggressive approach early in the first game, racing to a 10–4 lead. Although Li narrowed the gap to 15–13, the Indian star responded by winning six consecutive points to close out the game.
The second game was more competitive. Li briefly took a narrow lead midway through the game, but Sen regained control at 14–13, winning four straight points and maintaining the advantage to seal the match and his semifinal spot.
Sen Focused on Recovery
Speaking after the match, Sen said his main focus was avoiding mistakes during long rallies, as both players were visibly tiring.
He explained that his coach reminded him that his opponent was also feeling the fatigue, and he simply tried to stay patient and minimize errors.
Despite his strong run, Sen said he is not thinking about the title yet, emphasizing that his priority is to recover properly and focus on one match at a time before the semifinal.
Sen had previously finished as runner-up in the 2022 All England Open, and his latest performance keeps alive hopes of another deep run at the historic tournament.