Lakshya Sen's Semifinal Challenge at Kumamoto Masters

Lakshya Sen, Indian badminton star, was defeated in the men's singles semifinal at the Kumamoto Masters 2025 by Japan's Kenta Nishimoto. Despite overcoming former world champion Loh Kean Yew, Sen's quest ended in an arduous three-game battle, marking his third defeat to Nishimoto in their six matchups.

In a challenging outing at the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025, Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen fell short in the men's singles semifinal against Kenta Nishimoto, the home favorite and current world number 13. This loss meant the final curtain was drawn on India's participation in the tournament.

Ranked 15 worldwide, Sen was seeded seventh but faced a formidable Nishimoto, who was seeded sixth. The match unfolded dramatically at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium, where Sen succumbed to Nishimoto with scores of 21-19, 14-21, 21-12 in a grueling contest that lasted over an hour.

The encounter marked the third defeat for Sen in six face-offs against Nishimoto. Though Sen started strong, securing an early lead in the first game, the determined Nishimoto clawed back to secure the initial game. Sen then rallied to equalize in the second game but ultimately, Nishimoto dominated the decider to advance to the finals.

(With inputs from agencies.)