All England Open: A heartbreaking loss for Lakshya with a silver lining that gives hope Premium

A heart-breaking loss with a silver lining that gives hope

Lakshya Sen’s spirited run at the All England Open ended just short of history on Sunday (March 8, 2026) as the Indian shuttler finished runner-up after losing the men’s singles final to Taiwan’s Lin Chun-Yi in Birmingham.

The defeat meant India’s wait for an All England men’s singles champion continued, with only two Indians — Prakash Padukone in 1980 and P. Gopi Chand in 2001 — having previously lifted the prestigious title.

For Lakshya, it was a second heartbreak at the sport’s oldest tournament. Four years after finishing runner-up in 2022 following a loss to then World No.1 Viktor Axelsen, the 24-year-old once again came agonisingly close to the crown after producing one of the most impressive runs of his career through the draw.

The 24-year-old entered the final riding the momentum of a week that had already featured a stunning upset of World No.1 Shi Yuqi, a gritty comeback against Ng Ka Long Angus, a tactically assured win over Li Shifeng and a marathon semifinal triumph over Canada’s Victor Lai.

The week began with a statement victory.

Four years ago at the All England final, Lakshya was stopped by the World No.1 Viktor Axelsen. In 2026, he began his campaign against another World No. 1 and defending champion Shi Yuqi.