Daijiworld Media Network – Kumamoto

Kumamoto, Nov 16: India’s Lakshya Sen bowed out of the Kumamoto Japan Masters Super 500 on Saturday after a hard-fought three-game semifinal loss to local star Kenta Nishimoto. The world No. 13 Japanese shuttler prevailed 21-19, 14-21, 21-12 in a 77-minute battle.

With the defeat, Lakshya’s slim hopes of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals also came to an end. His late-season surge — a final appearance at the Hong Kong Open and a semifinal at the Macau Open — came too late to offset multiple early-round exits earlier in the year, many caused by niggling injuries.

The semifinal clash saw both players locked in long rallies, but momentum shifted dramatically in the decider after Lakshya slipped during a defensive dive at the net. Though he continu

See Full Page