World championship bronze-medallist Lakshya Sen marched into the men’s singles semifinals of the Australian Open Super 500 after defeating compatriot Ayush Shetty in straight games in Sydney on Friday. The seventh-seeded Indian produced a composed performance to register a 23-21, 21-11 victory, repeating his dominance over Ayush after beating him at the same stage of the Hong Kong Open earlier this season.
Sen will now face second seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in the last four. Tien Chen, ranked No. 9 in the world and a silver medallist at the 2018 Asian Games, survived a hard-fought battle against Indonesia’s Farhan Alwi, winning 13-21, 23-21, 21-16 in a gruelling 83-minute match. Alwi had earlier stunned India’s H.S. Prannoy in the round of 16.
Sen, 26, who reached the Hong Kong Open final this year but is still searching for his first title of the season, faced stiff resistance in the opening game. Trailing 6-9, he stitched together four consecutive points to turn the momentum in his favour at 13-10. Ayush, the reigning US Open Super 300 champion, kept fighting back and pushed the senior shuttler to 21-21, before Sen held his nerve to clinch the game.
The second game turned into a one-way affair as Sen raced to a 6-1 lead and extended it to 15-7, capitalising on Ayush’s fading challenge to wrap up the match in 53 minutes.
With Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth bowing out early, Sen remains India’s lone contender in the men’s singles draw.
Later in the day, top-seeded men’s doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will aim to join Sen in the semifinals. The Indian pair, who cruised past Su Ching Heng and Wu Guan Xun in the round of 16, will face the fifth-seeded Indonesian combination of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in the quarterfinals.
Earlier, In a standout day for Indian men’s singles at the 2025 Australian Open (Badminton) (Super 500) in Sydney, the young Ayush Shetty stunned world No.9 Kodai Naraoka (21-17, 21-16) to enter the quarter-finals, while his compatriot Lakshya Sen progressed with a hard-fought three-game win over Chi Yu Jen (21-17, 13-21, 21-13).
Meanwhile, veteran H. S. Prannoy couldn’t make it through, losing 19-21, 10-21 to Indonesia’s Farhan Alwi and exiting earlier than hoped.
The result ensures an exciting Indian clash in the quarter-finals between Shetty and Sen.
Ayush Shetty, ranked world No.32, showcased composure and clutch-point play to overcome the Japanese fourth seed in 68 minutes. He moved away decisively from 18-17 in the first game and pulled away with a five-point burst from 14-all in the second.
Lakshya Sen came through a three-set contest against Chi Yu Jen, rebounding after dropping the second game, and building a strong lead (7-0) in the decider to finish it off.
In contrast, Prannoy struggled to impose his rhythm and succumbed in straight games — his 2025 season has been marred by early exits.
In doubles, top-seeded Indian pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty comfortably beat Chinese Taipei’s Su Ching Heng / Wu Guan Xun 21-18, 21-11 to also reach the quarters.
What’s next & significance
The quarter-final of Shetty vs Sen is not only an all-Indian affair but also a clash of experience vs youth: Sen with more tour experience, Shetty rising fast and carrying momentum.
A strong run here could boost Shetty’s status in Indian men’s singles and signal a generational shift. As noted, the win over Naraoka already sets a tone for him being India’s “headline act” in 2026.
For Sen, the win marks his 7th quarter-final appearance of the year — a career-high tally.
Prannoy’s early exit once again raises questions about his consistency and ability to go deep in major events this year.
In doubles, the Satwik-Chirag pair stay on track for the title run and remain India’s best bet in the men’s doubles bracket.
Latest update as of now:
Shetty and Sen are confirmed to meet in the quarter-final of the Australian Open 2025.
The tournament, held at the State Sports Centre in Sydney, is part of the BWF World Tour (G2L4) with prize money of US $475,000.
The doubles pair Rankireddy/Shetty advance to the quarter-finals, keeping their title hopes alive.
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