CALGARY – Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen showcased his exceptional skills to secure a spot in the men’s singles final of the Canada Open 2023. Meanwhile, PV Sindhu faced disappointment as she was eliminated in the women’s singles semi-finals by Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.
Lakshya Sen, ranked 19th in the world, defeated his Japanese opponent, Kenta Nishimoto, ranked 11th, in a commanding fashion with a score of 21-17, 21-14. The match lasted 44 minutes and marked Sen’s first appearance in a final on the 2023 BWF Tour.
In the women’s singles semi-finals, Sindhu, the world No. 15, struggled against world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi clinched victory with a score of 21-14, 21-15, in a match that lasted 43 minutes.
Playing at the Markin MacPhail Centre, Lakshya Sen initially found himself on the backfoot as Kenta Nishimoto surged to a 4-0 lead in the first game. However, Sen quickly equalized at 11-11 and went on to score five consecutive points, securing a healthy lead and ultimately taking the first game.
In the second game, Sen displayed even greater intensity and went into the break with a two-point lead. From 13-11, he won six consecutive points, leaving Nishimoto unable to catch up. This marked Sen’s second victory over Nishimoto in three meetings.
Sen will face Li Shi Feng of China, the All England Open champion, in the final on Sunday. The Indian badminton player currently leads the world No. 10 Chinese player 4-2 in head-to-head encounters, including a win in their most recent match in June at the Thailand Open.
This final appearance for Sen on the BWF World Tour is his first since the All England Championships last year, where he lost to Victor Axelsen.
In the women’s singles semi-finals of the BWF Super 500 event, PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist and the 2019 world champion, struggled to keep up with reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi. Despite Sindhu’s efforts to reduce the deficit, Yamaguchi showcased her prowess and secured a 1-0 lead.
Sindhu displayed resilience at the start of the second game and took a 13-9 lead. However, Yamaguchi’s strong performance in the latter stages allowed her to claim victory, conceding only two more points to Sindhu.
Sindhu still maintains a lead over Yamaguchi in their head-to-head encounters, with a record of 14 wins and 11 losses. Nevertheless, Sindhu has yet to secure a BWF title this year and will look to make a strong comeback in future tournaments.
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