Li Shi Feng downs Lakshya Sen to win Hong Kong Open men's singles final

Lakshya Sen’s wait for the Super 500 crown continues after the Indian shuttler went down in straight games to China’s Li Shi Feng in the men’s singles final of the Hong Kong Open on Sunday, September 14.

Sen, who has been in fine form throughout the tournament, started the final brightly. The opening exchanges of the first game were evenly contested, with both players trading points. Sen picked up nine early points, but Li quickly shifted gears. The Chinese shuttler stepped up the pace, finding his range with quick smashes and precise placements, and soon cruised away to take the first game comfortably.

The second game offered a glimmer of hope for Sen, who began aggressively and took an early lead. However, his control of the lift shot faltered at key moments, allowing Li to claw back to 4-4. From there, the Chinese shuttler tightened his grip, forcing errors from Sen with sharp angles and relentless pressure.

Sen, who initially looked strong in the longer rallies, found himself increasingly moving away from the contest as Li seemed to go for the quick winners. The contest fittingly ended with a deft crosscourt net shot from Li, sealing the win in straight games.

The loss will sting for Sen, who has made steady strides on the circuit but continues to chase that elusive Super 500 title. His adaptability and fighting spirit were evident, but on the day, Li proved sharper in execution and more decisive in closing out opportunities.

Sen’s defeat capped a difficult day for Indian badminton in Hong Kong. Earlier, India’s top doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty fell short in the men’s doubles final, losing to China’s Olympic silver medallists Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.

While the twin losses mean India will leave Hong Kong without a title, the performances underline the consistency of Sen and the doubles duo in reaching the latter stages of top-level tournaments. For Sen, in particular, the experience adds another chapter to his learning curve as he continues his pursuit of ending his title drought at the Super 500 level.

Li Shi Feng beats Lakshya Sen - (15-21), (12-21)