Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025: Lakshya Sen’s semi-final loss ends India’s campaign

Lakshya Sen

Star Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen saw his fine run snapped after a draining three-game semifinal defeat to Japan's world number 13 Kenta Nishimoto at the USD 475,000 Kumamoto Masters Japan.

Star Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen saw his fine run snapped after a draining three-game semifinal defeat to Japan's world number 13 Kenta Nishimoto at the USD 475,000 Kumamoto Masters Japan in Kumamoto on Saturday. Seventh seed Sen, who endured a lean patch before rediscovering form with a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open, lost 19-21 21-14 12-21 to sixth seed Nishimoto in a 77-minute battle. Sen, the 2021 World Championship bronze medallist, came into the match with a 3-2 head-to-head lead but had lost their previous encounter at the Indonesia Masters earlier this year.

The Commonwealth Games champion recovered from an opening-game setback to force a decider but looked completely out of sorts in the third game.

In a clash between two evenly-matched players, it was about staying consistent in the rallies and drawing out errors. Lakshya managed that early on, moving to an 8-3 lead, but Nishimoto seized the momentum by taking seven straight points for a 10-9 advantage. The Japanese player smashed out once but still held a narrow lead as Sen found the net.

Nishimoto's steep smashes troubled Lakshya as he moved ahead 15-13. The Indian pounced on a loose net shot to make it 14-15 before producing a criss-cross return to level the score. Sen edged ahead 17-16 but briefly let it slip with two shots into the net. A thundering straight smash made it 18-18 before his next attempt missed the line by a whisker.