Former finalist Lakshya Sen delivered a breathtaking performance, knocking out defending champion Jonatan Christie in the second round of the All England Open 2025 in Birmingham on Thursday, March 13. The Indian shuttler, known for his resilience and tactical sharpness, stunned the third-seeded Indonesian with a resounding 21-13, 21-10 straight-games victory. The match, which lasted only 36 minutes, was a masterclass in control, stamina, and intelligent shot-making, leaving Christie with no answers.
Lakshya, one of India’s brightest badminton prospects, came into the match with a point to prove, having lost to Christie in the semi-finals of the same tournament last year. This time, though, the 22-year-old was unstoppable, avenging his previous defeat with an emphatic display of dominance. It was his third career win over the Indonesian star — the most notable being his group-stage triumph at the Paris Olympics, where he narrowly missed a podium finish, ending in fourth place.
From the outset, Lakshya looked sharp and purposeful, moving around the court with remarkable agility. He showcased his signature defensive style, retrieving difficult shots with ease while forcing Christie into longer rallies. The pressure began to mount on the World No. 2, who struggled to find his usual rhythm. Every time Christie tried to up the pace or change the direction of play, Lakshya anticipated his moves and countered with precision.
In the first game, Lakshya broke away from an early 3-3 tie, building a steady lead with a mix of well-placed smashes, delicate net play, and clever drops. He made Christie work hard for every point, draining the Indonesian’s energy while staying composed himself. The Indian comfortably wrapped up the first game 21-13.
The second game saw a brief moment of resistance from Christie, who leveled the score at 6-6 after Lakshya initially led 6-3. However, the Indian shuttler was quick to regain momentum. He surged ahead, reaching 11-7 at the mid-game interval and then accelerating further. Lakshya sensed the pressure on his opponent and began taking more attacking opportunities, keeping the rallies short and sharp. His smashes found the corners, his drop shots landed perfectly just over the net, and his backcourt retrievals were on point. Christie, visibly frustrated, made several uncharacteristic errors, including a wayward smash down the line that gifted Lakshya match point. The Indian converted his second opportunity, sealing the victory 21-10 with a roar of triumph.
Lakshya’s father and coach, DK Sen, watched from the sidelines with pride, seeing his son execute their pre-match strategy flawlessly. Lakshya, who reached the All-England final in 2022 and the semi-final last year, is now on track for another deep run in one of the most prestigious Super 1000 tournaments on the circuit. He moves on to the quarterfinals, where he will face the winner of the second-round clash between sixth seed Li Shi Feng of China and France’s Toma Junior Popov, who earlier upset India’s HS Prannoy.
Meanwhile, India's women’s singles campaign came to an end earlier in the day, as Malavika Bansod’s impressive run was halted by Japan’s World No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi. Malavika, ranked 28th in the world, showed grit but couldn’t match Yamaguchi’s pace and precision, losing 21-16, 21-13 in a swift 33-minute encounter. This followed PV Sindhu’s disappointing first-round exit on Wednesday, where the two-time Olympic medalist was stunned by South Korea’s Kim Ga-eun.
Lakshya’s commanding win now stands as a beacon of hope for India’s campaign at the All England Open. His performance not only underscores his growing maturity and skill but also signals his readiness to challenge the world’s best. If he keeps up this level of play, he might just go a step further than his 2022 runner-up finish and etch his name into the history books as an All England champion.
