Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen finished as runner-up at the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 after going down 21-15, 22-20 to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi in the men’s singles final in Birmingham on Sunday.
The defeat meant Sen had to settle for the silver medal at one of badminton’s most prestigious tournaments, marking his second runner-up finish at the All England, after also finishing second in the 2022 edition. Despite the loss, the 24-year-old once again demonstrated his ability to compete with the very best on the world stage, delivering a strong week of performances en route to the final.
A demanding run to final
Sen’s journey to the title clash was anything but easy. Over the course of the tournament, the Indian shuttler spent more than six hours on court, battling through several high-intensity matches against top opponents. His campaign began with a hard-fought victory against world No.1 Shi Yuqi, where Sen showed remarkable composure to win a three-game thriller. The Indian followed it up with another tough match against Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long, once again emerging victorious in three games.
In the quarterfinals, Sen delivered one of his best performances of the tournament, defeating former champion Li Shifeng in straight games. The win not only underlined Sen’s growing maturity on the tour but also snapped a recent losing streak against the Chinese shuttler.
The semifinal against Canada’s Victor Lai turned out to be a marathon encounter lasting 97 minutes, making it the longest men’s singles match ever recorded at the All England Championships. Sen battled cramps and fatigue but eventually prevailed 21-16, 18-21, 21-15, booking his place in the final.
Slow start in the final
Facing Lin Chun-Yi in the championship match, Sen needed a strong start but struggled initially to find his rhythm. Lin, known for his speed and attacking precision, quickly seized control of the rallies. The Taiwanese shuttler capitalised on Sen’s slightly short lifts and tosses, using sharp cross-court winners to gain an early advantage. As the rallies progressed, Lin continued to dictate the pace and eventually took the opening game 21-15.
Sen attempted to extend the rallies and disrupt Lin’s rhythm, but the lack of depth in some of his defensive clears allowed his opponent to maintain the upper hand.
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The second game saw a much stronger response from the Indian. Determined to push the match into a decider, Sen increased the intensity of the rallies and forced Lin into errors. Trailing 3-4, Sen produced an impressive run of six consecutive points to surge ahead 9-4, briefly shifting the momentum in his favour. His aggressive net play and improved control of the rallies began to trouble Lin.
However, the Chinese Taipei shuttler slowly clawed his way back into the contest. Engaging Sen in longer rallies, Lin began to exploit the fatigue that had built up over the Indian’s demanding week.
The match moved into a tense finish as both players exchanged points in a tightly contested closing phase.
Lin seals historic title
Lin earned his first match point at 20-19, but Sen showed tremendous fighting spirit to save it and keep the contest alive. The drama continued as the score moved to 21-20, but Lin remained composed under pressure. On his second match point, the Taiwanese player finally closed out the match to win 22-20, clinching the title.
With the victory, Lin Chun-Yi created history by becoming the first men’s singles player from Chinese Taipei to win the All England Open.
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While the result will be disappointing for Sen, the overall performance at the tournament reinforces his status among the elite players on the Badminton World Federation tour. Reaching the final after defeating top-ranked opponents and enduring multiple three-game battles highlights his resilience and competitive level.
The Indian also became only the second Indian men’s singles player to reach the All England final twice, following the legendary Prakash Padukone.
For Lakshya Sen, the silver medal in Birmingham represents another important milestone in his career. At just 24 years of age, he continues to build experience in major finals and remains one of India’s brightest medal prospects in international badminton.
Despite falling short in the title clash, Sen’s run at the All England Open 2026 demonstrated his ability to challenge the world’s best and suggests that another title opportunity at the iconic tournament may not be far away.
