Lakshya Sen knocked out of BWF World Championships after shocking defeat against world no.92

In a dramatic 73-minute marathon, Lakshya Sen was eliminated from the tournament following a grueling three-game loss to world No. 92 Garret Tan. The American—a former world junior No. 1 and All England Junior bronze medalist, fought back to claim a 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 victory. The premature exit followed a rocky start to the week for Sen, who had barely survived his opening-round fixture against Austria's Collins Valentine Filimon.

Huge upset ends Lakshya Sen's run at BWF World Championships

Starting the match on the quicker side of the drift, Sen found himself immediately on the defensive against Tan's relentless overhead attacks and razor-sharp cross-court smashes. Whenever the Indian shuttler lacked length on his lifts, Tan pounced on the opportunity to dictate the tempo. To stay within striking distance, Sen shifted tactics, relying heavily on tight, deceptive drop shots to offset the American's raw power.

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The opening game developed into a tense, point-for-point affair. Trailing 10-12, Sen neutralised Tan's attempt to dominate the forecourt by engaging in a delicate net duel, eventually drawing crucial unforced errors from the American. Breaking an 18-18 deadlock late in the game, the Indian held his composure under pressure to pocket the opening set 21-19.

Garret Tan outclasses Lakshya Sen

Garret Tan seized complete control at the start of the second game, quickly establishing a 4-0 cushion after a flurry of errors from Lakshya Sen at the net. Maintaining an 11-8 advantage into the break, the American expertly varied his game plan—mixing deep lifts with precision drop shots and aggressive smashes to keep Sen on the back foot. Though Tan worked his way to a comfortable 20-15 lead, the home crowd surged as Sen staged a dramatic late rally to pull within a single point. Undeterred, Tan staved off the comeback, slamming home a high-stakes smash at the net to snatch the game 21-19 and push the thriller into a third set.

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The deciding game opened with high-octane exchanges, filled with acrobatic defense and heavy baseline exchanges, but Tan once again struck first. Capitalizing on a series of early breaks, he built an 8-2 lead before coasting into the final mid-game interval up 11-4. Faced with a daunting deficit, Sen fed off the energy of the local fans to launch an emphatic six-point streak, trimming Tan's cushion to 12-10. The American quickly regrouped to rebuild a 17-12 advantage, and while Sen showed incredible grit to save a match point, Tan ultimately closed out the 21-17 victory.