Lakshya Sen Beats Ayush Shetty to Reach Australian Open Semis

Lakshya Sen continued his strong run on the BWF World Tour, securing a place in the Australian Open Super 500 semifinals after defeating compatriot Ayush Shetty in straight games on Friday. The seventh seed displayed superior control and experience to prevail 23-21, 21-11 in a 53-minute quarterfinal matchup.

This victory marks Sen’s second win over Shetty in a Super 500 quarterfinal this year, having beaten him earlier at the Hong Kong Open. With senior players exiting early, Sen remains India’s sole representative in the men’s singles last four.

The 26-year-old will next face Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, the second seed and world No. 9. Chou advanced after a gritty comeback victory over Indonesia’s Farhan Alwi, winning 13-21, 23-21, 21-16 in a battle lasting one hour and 23 minutes. Alwi had earlier upset India’s H.S. Prannoy, adding further weight to Chou’s win.

???? A Tight First Game, Then Total Control

The opening game between Sen and Shetty was a tense, back-and-forth duel. Sen trailed 6-9 and 9-10 before firing four straight points to take control at 13-10. But Shetty — fresh off his US Open Super 300 title — refused to back down. The score tied repeatedly, landing at 21-21, but Sen’s calm under pressure allowed him to close it 23-21.

In the second game, Sen shifted gears. He raced ahead 6-1 and never looked back, stretching the lead to 15-7. Shetty, unable to maintain the intensity of the first game, slipped further behind as Sen wrapped up the match 21-11 with steady, attacking play.

Sen now aims to end the season with a title, after previously reaching the Hong Kong Open final but falling short of lifting the trophy.

???? Indian Doubles Pair Move Forward

In men’s doubles, top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty entered the quarterfinals with a commanding win over Su Ching Heng and Wu Guan Xun of Chinese Taipei. They will take on Indonesian fifth seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, hoping to join Sen in the semifinals.