Birmingham: Lakshya Sen produced a spirited performance to defeat Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong and book his place in the quarterfinals of the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham.
The Indian shuttler prevailed in a thrilling three-game contest 21-19, 21-23, 21-10, displaying resilience and attacking flair to advance to the last eight.
Lakshya began strongly in the opening game, racing to a 17-13 lead with sharp net play and excellent court coverage. Angus fought back with aggressive smashes to level the score at 19-19, but the Indian held his nerve to close out the game 21-19.
The second game produced high drama. Lakshya looked on course for a straight-games win after taking an 11-4 lead at the interval, but Angus mounted a remarkable comeback. The Hong Kong player saved four match points, including a razor-thin smash that clipped the line, before snatching the game 23-21 to force a decider.
Lakshya responded emphatically in the third game. Avoiding the mistakes of the previous set, he shifted gears early and maintained relentless pressure. His strong defence forced repeated errors from Angus, while his aggressive net play helped him race to a commanding 21-10 win.
The victory makes Lakshya the only Indian left in the tournament after the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were forced to retire from their match against Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet while trailing 19-21, 8-9.
Lakshya will next face the winner of the match between Nhat Nguyen and world No.6 Li Shi Feng in the quarterfinals as he continues India’s challenge in one of badminton’s most prestigious tournaments.
Source: ESPN, TOI
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