Lakshya Sen claims third place at King Cup badminton  

Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen secured a strong third-place finish at the King Cup International Badminton Open 2024 in Shenzhen, China, defeating France's Alex Lanier 21-17, 21-11 in the playoff match on Sunday.  

Currently ranked world No. 12, Sen showcased resilience after a semifinal loss to China’s Hu Zhe’an, the reigning junior world champion and world No. 1. The third-place match marked the first-ever meeting between Sen and Lanier, world No. 18.  

Lanier began the match on the front foot, holding a narrow lead midway through the first game. However, Sen staged an impressive comeback, dominating the latter stages and maintaining full control throughout the second game.  

Earlier in the tournament, Sen overcame Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long in the quarter-finals but fell short against Hu Zhe’an in a tightly contested semifinal. Lanier, on the other hand, advanced to the playoff after losing to Denmark’s Anders Antonsen in his semifinal.  

The King Cup, launched by Chinese badminton legend Lin Dan, is an invitational tournament featuring eight top players in the men’s singles category. While it does not offer BWF ranking points, the event drew significant attention as a high-profile showcase.  

Sen, who made headlines with his semifinal run at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was India’s sole representative in this exclusive competition.