Lakshya Sen Storms Into Hong Kong Open Final

India’s highest-ranked men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen gave a masterclass performance to advance to the Hong Kong Open final, dominating World No.6 Chou Tien Chen in straight games.

Lakshya Sen Dominates World No.6 to Book Spot in Hong Kong Open Final

Lakshya Sen has qualified for his first final of the 2025 season after defeating Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen 23-21, 22-20, in the men’s singles semifinal of the Hong Kong Open. The match had thrilling rallies and many high-quality shots, but the Indian star was able to stay in control throughout the match under pressure and claim a well-deserved victory.

This is a big achievement for the 23-year-old Indian, as he is the first Indian men’s singles player to advance to the Hong Kong Open final since Kidambi Srikanth in 2017.

A Rivalry Revived – Lakshya Sen vs Chou Tien Chen

Although it isn’t the first time Lakshya Sen has defeated Chou Tien Chen, this latest victory will still be a very satisfying one for the Indian. Of course, Sen had previously come from behind to defeat the Taiwanese shuttler in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning that match in three games.

In this latest encounter, Sen won in two games, which again displays how he is growing and taking his game to the next level on the international stage.

In the second semifinal set, Chou seemed to be well in command and was closing in on forcing a decider. But Lakshya came through five consecutive points, showing his mind strength and capacity to perform under pressure.

Road to the Hong Kong Open Final

Now World No. 20 Lakshya Sen had a gritty trudge through the final of the Hong Kong Open, facing and beating fellow Indian compatriots and professional badminton players H.S. Prannoy in the pre-quarterfinals and Ayush Shetty in the quarterfinals.

These matches affirm that he had remaining steady in form and focus throughout the tournament. Despite the fierce rivalry, Lakshya has become more robust with each round and now targets his maiden title of the 2025 season.

Final Test: Lakshya Sen vs Li Shi Feng

In the Hong Kong Open final, Lakshya Sen will be up against China’s Li Shi Feng, who secured his spot by outclassing France’s Christo Popov 21-18, 21-19 in the other semifinal. The encounter on the cards can be expected to be an explosion of a match, with both players being in scorching good form.

Li Shi Feng, a strong player, will certainly be one of the biggest challenges. But Lakshya’s form and self-confidence put him squarely in the race for the title.

Satwik-Chirag Also March into Hong Kong Open Final

India’s success at the Hong Kong Open wasn’t just confined to singles. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also reached the men’s doubles final, beating Chinese Taipei duo Bing-Wei Lin and Chen Cheng Kuan 21-17, 21-15 in a one-sided performance.

After six straight semifinal losses, the Indian pair’s victory is a significant one. They will now oppose China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the final a battle which has delivered some classic encounters in recent years.