Lakshya Sen continued his impressive run at the Kumamoto Masters Japan Super 500 tournament with a win over Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the quarterfinals. India’s star shuttler registered the victory over former world champion in straight sets 21–13, 21–17 in just 40 minutes. With this the 24-year-old has secured his third victory of the season.
Currently ranked 13th on the World Tour, Sen’s latest result is expected to boost his chances of breaking into the coveted Top 8- a crucial threshold for year-end qualification.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew
Sen entered the contest with a 6–3 head-to-head advantage over Loh and wasted no time reinforcing that dominance. The first game saw the Indian in full command: aggressive in attack, sharp at the net, and tactically precise. After a tight opening exchange, Sen unleashed a five-point surge post the interval and maintained control to close the game 21–13.
The second game offered far greater drama. Although Sen surged ahead 15–9 with another burst of quality, Loh fought back valiantly, narrowing the gap to 17–18. But in a display of growing maturity and tactical clarity, Sen slowed the tempo, regained control of the front court, and sealed the match with three clutch points.
The win widened his head-to-head lead over Loh to 7–3, underlining the shift in momentum between the two former junior rivals. Sen’s quarterfinal triumph followed a dominant Round of 16 win over Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh, whom he dismissed 21–13, 21–11 in just 39 minutes.
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A Semi-Final Clash With Home Favourite Nishimoto
Sen will now face Japanese star Kenta Nishimoto in Saturday’s semifinal. It will be their sixth meeting, with Sen holding a narrow 3–2 edge in their rivalry.2025, however, is shaping up to be a turning point.
Whether or not Sen goes all the way in Kumamoto, his level this week shows a player returning to his sharpest form, ready to re-establish himself among the elite in men’s singles badminton.
