Lakshya Sen stuns Axelsen to enter Quarterfinals; Satwik-Chirag duo also advance

Odense (Denmark), Oct 19 (IANS) India’s Lakshya Sen produced one of the standout performances of the tournament so far, stunning second seed and world number two Anders Antonsen in straight games to storm into the quarterfinals of the men’s singles at the ongoing badminton tournament on Thursday.

The world number 21 Sen played with remarkable composure and aggression to outclass the Dane 21-13, 21-14 in a 53-minute second-round encounter. The 23-year-old Indian shuttler showcased his tactical maturity, mixing pace and control to keep Antonsen constantly under pressure.

Sen had earlier begun his campaign with a confident win over Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen in the opening round on Wednesday. His impressive run now sets up a quarterfinal clash with the winner of the match between Weng Hong Yang of China and Alex Lanier of France.

Sen’s triumph marks one of his most convincing wins over a top-ranked opponent this season, highlighting his steady return to form after an injury-affected year. His precise net play, sharp smashes, and clever variations in pace left Axelsen struggling to find rhythm throughout the contest.

Meanwhile, India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their fine form, sealing a straight-games victory over the Chinese Taipei duo Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan to also reach the quarterfinals. The sixth-seeded Indian pair won 21-19, 21-17 in a brisk 41-minute encounter.

Satwik and Chirag were made to work hard in both games but held their nerve during crucial points, relying on their trademark aggressive net play and strong court coverage to maintain control.

The duo had earlier dispatched Scotland’s Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley in their first-round fixture on Wednesday.

--IANS

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