Daijiworld Media Network – Kumamoto
Kumamoto, Nov 16: India’s Lakshya Sen bowed out of the Kumamoto Japan Masters Super 500 on Saturday after a hard-fought three-game semifinal loss to local star Kenta Nishimoto. The world No. 13 Japanese shuttler prevailed 21-19, 14-21, 21-12 in a 77-minute battle.
With the defeat, Lakshya’s slim hopes of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals also came to an end. His late-season surge — a final appearance at the Hong Kong Open and a semifinal at the Macau Open — came too late to offset multiple early-round exits earlier in the year, many caused by niggling injuries.
The semifinal clash saw both players locked in long rallies, but momentum shifted dramatically in the decider after Lakshya slipped during a defensive dive at the net. Though he continued playing, Nishimoto accelerated to an 8-3 lead and maintained control until the finish.
Lakshya, who held a 3-2 head-to-head lead coming into the match, started well by taking an 8-4 advantage in the opening game. But Nishimoto seized seven straight points to turn the tide. Despite flashes of brilliance — including a thundering smash at 18-18 — Lakshya’s errors at crucial moments handed the first game to the Japanese.
The Indian fought back brilliantly in the second, overturning a 1-5 deficit by slowing down rallies and exploiting Nishimoto’s physical discomfort. A sharp run of points put Lakshya 11-8 ahead at the break, and he dominated the latter half with tight net play and crisp winners to force a decider.
However, Nishimoto regained his rhythm in the third. Sharp smashes, clever cross-court placements, and Lakshya’s growing struggle with movement — highlighted when his coach Yoo Yong Sun massaged his left thigh at the interval — allowed the Japanese to race ahead 17-9. Lakshya went on to concede eight match points, and Nishimoto sealed victory with a clean smash.
Lakshya, the 2021 World Championship bronze medallist, ends his Japan Masters campaign with strong performances but falls short of a spot in the season-ending finals.