India's Lakshya Sen faces tough defeat to Jonatan Christie in All England Open semifinals

At the All England Championships, India's badminton sensation Lakshya Sen faced a tough defeat against Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in the semifinals, prolonging India's quest for the coveted trophy. Despite an impressive journey throughout the tournament, Sen's bid for glory was halted as he stumbled in a thrilling three-game encounter on Saturday.

The 22-year-old shuttler, who had clinched the runner-up title in the 2022 edition, showcased remarkable resilience throughout the match, but ultimately fell short against the formidable Christie, currently ranked ninth in the world. The clash witnessed intense moments with Christie prevailing with a 21-12, 10-21, 15-21 victory, sealing his berth in the final against compatriot Anthony Sinisuka Ginting.

Sen's journey to the semifinals was marked by exceptional performances, including his triumph over fourth-seeded Dane Anders Antonsen and Malaysia's world No. 10 Lee Zii Jia. However, Christie emerged as a formidable obstacle that Sen couldn't surpass, ending his quest for the championship title.

The past two weeks have been a rollercoaster ride for Sen, who faced early exits in previous tournaments this season. Despite falling short of the ultimate prize, Sen's back-to-back semifinal finishes are expected to bolster his chances of securing a Paris Olympic berth when the BWF rankings are announced by April end.