Lakshya Sen Secures a Place in the Semi-Finals
Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen has advanced to the semi-finals of the BWF Kumamoto Japan Masters Super 500 after defeating Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in the men’s singles quarter-finals on Friday, November 13.
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The eighth-seeded Indian delivered a strong performance, winning the match in straight games with a score of 21-16, 21-15. The victory secured his place among the final four players in the tournament.
Sen controlled important moments of the match and maintained his advantage against the Japanese shuttler to seal the win in 40 minutes.
Alwi Farhan Awaits Lakshya in the Semi-Finals
Lakshya Sen will next face Indonesia’s sixth seed Alwi Farhan in the semi-finals on Saturday, November 14.
The upcoming match presents a challenging test for the Indian, who has lost both of his previous meetings against Farhan. Sen will look to change that record and secure a place in the tournament final.
His recent form has provided encouragement, particularly after winning the Hylo Open in Germany earlier in November.
Kidambi Srikanth Exits After a Close Contest
Meanwhile, India’s Kidambi Srikanth ended his Japan Masters campaign after losing to Japan’s Koki Watanabe in the quarter-finals.
The Indian put up a strong fight in the opening game but narrowly lost 22-24. Watanabe carried that momentum into the second game and secured a 21-15 victory to complete the match in straight games.
Srikanth had entered the quarter-finals after producing an impressive performance against home favourite and World No. 8 Kodai Naraoka. He defeated the Japanese player 21-15, 18-21, 21-18 in a thrilling three-game encounter.
However, he could not repeat that success against Watanabe, bringing his campaign to an end.
India’s Doubles Campaign Also Comes to an End
India’s challenge in the doubles events also ended in the Round of 16.
The men’s doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun, along with the women’s doubles combination of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, lost their respective matches.
With Srikanth’s quarter-final exit, Lakshya Sen remains India’s sole singles contender in the competition.
Final Word
Lakshya Sen’s semi-final qualification is an encouraging result for Indian badminton at the Kumamoto Japan Masters 2026. With a place in the final at stake, all eyes will now be on his clash against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan as he looks to continue his impressive run in Japan.
