Lakshya Sen reaches semifinal of Thailand Open 2023

Top Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen advanced to the Thailand Open men's singles semifinals with a 21-19, 21-11 victory over Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao at Bangkok's Indoor Stadium Huamark.

Leong took an 11-10 and then a 16-10 lead in the first game. Sen, on the other hand, fought back magnificently, winning six points in a row to take the lead 17-16. The Indians did not let up and won the first game 21-19.

Sen carried that momentum into the second game, winning 11-8 after Leong was injured. The Malaysian needed some treatment during the mid-game break and was not at his best when the game



resumed. Sen needed only three more points to secure his place in the semi-finals.

Sen will face the winner of the match between China's fifth seed Guang Zu Lu and Thailand's second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn. He is now the competition's sole Indian.

Earlier in the day, Kiran George's brilliant run in Bangkok came to an end in the quarterfinals when the Indian was defeated by France's Toma Junior Popov. George trailed early in the game, as he had done previously in the tournament, before taking the lead at the mid-game break. Popov, on the other hand, changed gears and won the first game 21-16.