Birmingham, March 5 Lakshya Sen delivered a strong performance to beat Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long Angus and advance to the men's singles quarterfinals of the All England Open Badminton Championships.
World No. 12 Lakshya, who was a finalist in the 2022 edition, played exceptionally well, overcoming intense rallies and physical exchanges to defeat Ng Ka Long, a former top 10 player, 21-19, 21-23, 21-10.
"The game was very solid. I think both sets were well played, and I also credit him for his strong comeback in the second set. I think I made too many easy mistakes towards the end of the second set," Lakshya said.
"But I was well prepared for the third set and played according to my strategy. It's just about sticking to the plan and avoiding unnecessary errors."
Lakshya, who won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships, will face either China's sixth seed Li Shi Feng or Ireland's Nhat Nguyen next.
"I feel confident on the court, especially after the last two matches. I need to recover well and prepare for another tough match tomorrow. I will focus on playing my best," he added.
The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto retired after losing 19-21, 8-9 against Hong Kong's Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet.
Lakshya started the match with a 4-6 deficit but managed to gain a 15-11 lead, putting pressure on his opponent with aggressive returns and precise placement.
He extended the lead to 17-13 with a well-timed overhead attack, but Ng Ka Long fought back, narrowing the gap in the late stages of the game.
At 15-17, Lakshya left a shot at the backline, but it was ruled out. The Indian had no more video challenges left and had to accept the decision. He then produced a sharp smash to reach 19-17, but Ng Ka Long equalized at 19-19 with a cross-court winner.
Another jump smash gave Lakshya a game point, and he sealed the victory when Ng Ka Long hit wide.
Lakshya started the second game with a cross-court smash to maintain the momentum. He maintained a consistent shot quality and combined power with precision, taking a 11-4 lead at the interval. Lakshya then produced another phenomenal straight smash to make it 14-7.
At 12-17, Ng Ka Long engaged in another superb rally, pushing Lakshya to his limit. Ng Ka Long then mounted a spirited comeback, winning five of the last five points to reach 17-19.
Another incredible cross-court smash brought Lakshya three match points.
But Lakshya missed one, and then Ng Ka Long saved the next, making it 20-20.
Lakshya then grabbed another match point, but Ng Ka Long saved it, and the match went to a decider after Lakshya hit the net.
Lakshya had to reset his mind and start afresh after Ng Ka Long won the second game. He then showed great mental strength, taking a 6-2 lead with some exciting shots. His defense was robust, and Ng Ka Long couldn't find any weaknesses.
Another precise cross-court shot gave Lakshya a 10-4 lead. Soon, he had a six-point cushion at the interval after producing an incredible cross-court net deception.
The rallies became shorter as Lakshya drew errors from the Hong Kong shuttler, who was trailing 6-14 at that stage.
Ka Long tried to cause problems for Lakshya, but the Indian managed to wriggle out of position with his superb defense, diving at will to keep the rallies alive.
Lakshya then increased the pace and injected more power into the rallies, taking a 18-7 lead. He pounced on a weak return at the net to move just two points away.
Lakshya soon earned 11 match points when Ka Long hit the net. He wasted one before another shot from the Hong Kong shuttler sailed out.
