Badminton
'I have extra motivation' – Lakshya Sen after beating Christie to reach All England quarters
Lakshya Sen stunned defending champion Jonatan Christie to reach the All England quarterfinals.
Lakshya Sen storm into the All England Open Badminton Championships quarterfinals (Photo credit: Badminton Photo/BWF)
Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen delivered a commanding performance to defeat defending champion Jonatan Christie in straight games, 21-13, 21-10, and storm into the All England Open Badminton Championships quarterfinals on Thursday in Birmingham.
Lakshya, who was eliminated by Christie in last year’s semifinals, avenged that loss in style, displaying exceptional control and precision to dominate the world No. 2 Indonesian.
Reflecting on his victory, Lakshya credited his preparation and aggressive mindset for the dominant result.
"I think it was a good match. After the first round, I was just preparing for this one. I’m happy with the way I played today right from the beginning—I came in with a good approach, and I am looking forward to continuing this momentum in my head," Lakshya said after the match.
Lakshya’s game plan was to keep the shuttle in play and not allow Christie any easy points.
The Indian shuttler remained quick on his feet, using well-placed smashes and controlled rallies to dictate the tempo.
"In the beginning, it was just about keeping the shuttle in play, not giving easy points, and moving quickly on the court. He was trying to play fast, so I focused on containing him and going for the smashes whenever I could. I knew the rallies would be long, so I was prepared for a really tough match," he explained.
The match, however, turned out to be more one-sided than expected.
While Christie was expected to put up a stronger challenge, Lakshya maintained a comfortable lead throughout both games.
"From the start, I was expecting a really strong match. I wasn’t thinking too much while playing, but I knew he’s a good player and could come back from any situation. I just wanted to close out both sets quickly," he added.
Lakshya, who reached the final of the All England in 2022, admitted that this tournament holds a special place for him, motivating him to perform at his best.
"I feel I have extra motivation to do well here every time I come. Even last year, I was close to the final. Now, I’m just focused on the next round," he concluded.
