India’s top men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen faced another setback on the BWF World Tour, crashing out in the first round of the Thailand Open Super 500 after a tough three-game loss to Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen.
The match lasted 80 minutes and ended with a scoreline of 18-21, 21-9, 17-21 in Nguyen’s favor.
This marks Sen’s third first-round exit in five tournaments this year, underlining a worrying trend of inconsistency for the 2024 Olympic semifinalist.
Nhat Nguyen Shines, Sen Slips
The Irish shuttler, ranked well below the World No. 18 Sen, produced one of the best performances of his career to take down the Indian star. Nguyen showed grit in the decider, holding off a late surge from Sen to close the match 21-17.
This win also marked Nguyen’s first-ever victory over Sen, who had beaten him twice before on the international circuit.
Recent Struggles Continue for Lakshya Sen
Sen’s Thailand Open exit is just the latest in a string of underwhelming results:
1. Asia Championships (April 2025)
- Lost to Lee Chia Hao (TPE): 0-2
- A straight-games defeat that showed little resistance, marking a quick exit yet again.
2. All England Open (March 2025)
- Defeated Jonatan Christie (2-0)
- Defeated Su Li Yang (2-1)
- Lost to Shi Feng Li (0-2) in the Quarterfinals
- This tournament was Sen’s only strong showing this year, where he managed back-to-back wins before falling to the eventual champion.
3. Indonesia Masters (January 2025)
- Defeated Obayashi Takuma (2-0)
- Lost to Kanta Nishimoto (1-2) in Round of 16
- Another event where he failed to go deep, despite an encouraging start.
A Golden Opportunity Missed
Thailand Open 2025 offered Lakshya a relatively open draw, and many expected him to at least make the semifinals.
However, his defeat to Nguyen, a lower-ranked opponent, is being seen as a major missed opportunity—especially with big events like the World Championships just three months away.
For someone who has shown the ability to beat top-10 players, the inconsistency in results is alarming. His inability to close out matches or maintain momentum after dominating a game—as seen with the 21-9 win in the second game—has become a recurring issue.
What’s Next for Lakshya Sen?
Lakshya will now turn his attention to the upcoming Super 750 and Super 1000 tournaments, but with only one quarterfinal finish in five outings this year, the pressure is mounting.
India’s coaching staff will be looking for answers, and Sen must find a way to reset mentally and physically before the World Championships.
