Kumamoto, November 15 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen has credited his confidence and fighting spirit for his recent success after becoming the first Indian to win the Kumamoto Masters title in Japan on Sunday, extending his run to two consecutive BWF World Tour titles.
Lakshya fought back from a game down to defeat home favourite Koki Watanabe 13-21, 21-18, 21-14 in the men’s singles final, completing the victory in one hour and four minutes. The triumph followed his Hylo Open title in Germany earlier this month and marked the first time in his career that he has won two World Tour titles in a single season.
Reflecting on his recent performances, Lakshya said his ability to maintain confidence despite difficult starts had helped him overcome challenging matches.
“Just keeping my confidence up even though it has been tough matches. I have started with a game down in many matches, but it was really good of me that I kept believing in myself and kept on playing and fighting,” he said after the final.
The Kumamoto victory was particularly satisfying for Lakshya, who had reached the semi-finals of the tournament last year but went on to claim the title this time.
“Feels very good to win a title here. Last year I played the semi-finals, and I’m happy I could better the results from last time. It’s my second title back-to-back, and I would love to continue this form ahead,” he said.
The final tested his resilience as Watanabe dominated the opening game. Lakshya, however, adjusted his strategy in the next two games, focusing on maintaining better shot length and adopting a more attacking approach.
“The sides were a little bit difficult to play. There was some wind on the stadium, so I just kept my confidence up in the second set and played the rallies. In the first set, I made some easy lifts, which is why he could smash the shuttle through me, but in the second and third sets, I was trying to give a good length and also play a bit more attacking,” he explained.
The victory has also strengthened Lakshya’s chances of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals 2026 in Hangzhou. His Kumamoto triumph earned him 9,200 ranking points, providing a significant boost to his qualification campaign.
“Definitely, that is one thing which we will be fighting for. This tournament will definitely help me to get good points for that as well. I have one more tournament, the Hong Kong Open…so I’m focused on that,” he said.
The six-time BWF World Tour title winner will now shift his attention to the Hong Kong Open as he looks to maintain his winning momentum and improve his qualification prospects.
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