Lakshya Sen progressed to the second round of the All England Open Championships at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Tuesday, triumphing over Su Li-yang from Chinese Taipei 13-21, 21-17, 21-15.
In a match that lasted one hour and 15 minutes, the former All England finalist demonstrated resilience after dropping the first game and facing a 7-11 deficit in the second. He mounted an impressive recovery, securing six consecutive points to claim the game and force a decider.
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The final game saw both the players close on each other's heels at 15-15. However, Lakshya, currently ranked 15th globally, maintained his composure and secured six straight points to overcome his 37th-ranked opponent.
In the other men's singles encounter, HS Prannoy suffered a defeat against France's Toma Junior Popov, losing 19-21, 16-21 in a contest lasting 53 minutes.
After winning the first game narrowly, the momentum shifted decisively in Toma's favour as the match progressed, with the French player displaying increased confidence in the second game. He maintained his composure, securing victory to advance in the tournament.
In the women's event, Malvika Bansod moved into the round of 16 by defeating Singapore's Yeo Jia Min in a competitive match lasting one hour and three minutes.
The Indian player, ranked 28th in the world, secured a remarkable victory against the world number 12, winning 21-13, 10-21, 21-17.
In mixed doubles competition, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath were eliminated in their opening match. The Indian pair suffered a straight-games loss to the China's Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui -- 21-6, 21-15.
