Birmingham, March 8: Playing with blisters on his right leg's toes, Indian star Lakshya Sen finished as runner-up after losing to Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in the men's singles final of the 2026 All England Open Badminton Championships at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Sunday.
Sen lost 15-21, 20-22 in a closely contested match that lasted 57 minutes. This is the second time the Indian star from Uttarakhand has finished the event with a silver medal after losing in the 2022 final.
Sen, who had spent more than five hours on the court in the run-up to the final, fought hard against the fast-paced Lin in the summit clash but ultimately lost.
Lin, who had won the India Open Super 500 title earlier this year, became the first men's singles player from Chinese Taipei to win the prestigious title.
Lin started the match strongly and quickly gained control in the first game. The Chinese Taipei shuttler took an early lead with a series of sharp attacking rallies, putting Sen under pressure from the outset. Although Sen managed to regain some points with improved aggression and better net control, Lin maintained his advantage going into the mid-game interval.
After the break, Lin continued to dictate the tempo, extending his lead with a string of points. Sen attempted to stage a comeback, but Lin remained composed and won the first game 21-15, capitalizing on his strong start.
Sen, who took time to get going and began to push Lin into longer rallies once he found his rhythm, struggled to find depth in his lifts and tosses, and Lin pounced on them to win cross-court shots in the opening game.
Facing a must-win situation in the second game, Sen responded with determination as he began to find his rhythm and take control of the rallies. The Indian strung together a sequence of points to open up a lead and looked determined to force the match into a deciding game. His improved movement and attacking play helped him keep Lin under pressure as he entered the interval ahead.
Lin, however, fought back strongly after the restart. The Chinese Taipei shuttler gradually chipped away at Sen's lead and eventually drew level in the closing stages, setting up a tense finish. The two players exchanged points in a thrilling endgame, with neither willing to concede ground.
The match went to deuce twice as both shuttlers produced high-quality rallies under pressure. In the decisive moments, Lin held his nerve to edge past Sen 22-20, completing a remarkable comeback from several points down in the second game to win the title.
Despite the defeat, Sen delivered a commendable performance and showed great resilience, particularly in the second game. Lin, meanwhile, capped off an impressive campaign with a composed display in the final to claim the prestigious title.
