India’s Lakshya Sen delivered a determined and high-intensity performance to advance to the quarterfinals of the All England Open Badminton Championships on Thursday, overcoming Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus in a thrilling three-game contest.
The world No. 12 Indian shuttler battled through long rallies and momentum swings to defeat his opponent 21-19, 21-23, 21-10 in the men’s singles round-of-16 match. Sen, who finished runner-up at the prestigious tournament in 2022, showed resilience and sharp attacking play to secure the victory after dropping the second game.
With the win, Sen moves into the last eight where he will face either China’s sixth seed Li Shi Feng or Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen.
The contest began with Sen under early pressure as Ng Ka Long took a slight lead in the opening game. However, the Indian quickly settled into rhythm, recovering from a 4-6 deficit to surge ahead 15-11 with aggressive returns and clever shot placement.
He stretched the lead further to 17-13 with a powerful overhead attack, but the Hong Kong shuttler fought back late in the game. At 19-19, tension rose as both players traded winners, but Sen kept his composure. A jump smash gave him game point and he sealed the opener when Ng Ka Long sent a shot wide.
Sen carried that momentum into the second game with a sharp cross-court smash to start and built an early advantage. Maintaining consistent shot quality, he mixed power with precision to establish an 11-4 lead at the interval and extended it to 14-7.
Just when the match seemed to be slipping away from Ng Ka Long, the Hong Kong player produced a remarkable comeback. He began dictating rallies and gradually reduced the deficit before winning a series of crucial points late in the game. Sen had three match points but could not convert them as Ng Ka Long saved them with precise attacking shots. Eventually, a smash from the Hong Kong shuttler earned him game point, and Sen found the net soon after, sending the match into a decider.
The third game, however, saw Sen respond with authority. Resetting mentally after the setback, he raced to a 6-2 lead with a combination of solid defense and attacking strokes.
His control grew stronger as the game progressed. A clever cross-court net deception helped him reach the interval with a comfortable cushion. As rallies shortened, Ng Ka Long struggled to keep pace, committing errors while trailing 6-14.
Sen maintained relentless pressure, increasing the tempo to move ahead 18-7. Soon after, he earned 11 match points and closed out the match when another return from Ng Ka Long drifted wide.
Earlier in the day, India’s mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were forced to retire due to injury while trailing 19-21, 8-9 against Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet.
