A Shot at Redemption

It’s likely to be the blockbuster first round match of the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2025. Top seed Shi Yu Qi, in the form of his life with three Super 1000 titles this year, against Lakshya Sen, who not so long ago was a fixture in the top 10.

Shi will be favourite, but in Sen he faces an opponent who could thwart his ambitions of a first world title.

For Sen, the World Championships at the Adidas Arena triggers mixed emotions. It was here, a year ago, that, within sight of a career-defining opportunity, he faltered.

First, against Viktor Axelsen in the semifinals, and then in the bronze medal playoff against Lee Zii Jia – both matches in which he was playing sublime badminton before inexplicably losing momentum. The storm that erupted back home took long to subside, and perhaps he’s still not over it.

Axelsen consoles Sen after their semifinal in Paris 2024.

“In the beginning it was tough to even remember it,” admits Sen. “But over time I’ve realised that there were a lot of positives from that campaign. Now I try to find the few good things out of that and try and remember it in a better way that helps me grow as a person and become stronger mentally. What has happened has happened. Coming here, I’m really excited to play good badminton. Before the Olympics, the French Open was really good for me. It’s a good stadium and I like playing in these conditions. It’s a tough draw for me. So from the first round, I’ll treat it as a final.”

It might be coincidence, but the Olympics was an inflection point, and he hasn’t been the same player since. Results at the higher tier of the HSBC BWF World Tour have stalled. His best performances have been at the Super 300 level – he won the Syed Modi International late last year and was in the semifinals of the Macau Open earlier this month. At the upper end of the World Tourn, a quarterfinal at the All England aside, he has struggled to cross the early rounds of nine tournaments this year.

Sen was on track for a bronze until the momentum suddenly shifted.

Is Shi Yu Qi in the first round a chance to redeem himself, to finally set the ghosts of Paris 2024 to rest?

“I’m not thinking on those lines,” says Sen. “That adds extra pressure. I have not had a good season from the start of this year. I’ve been motivated. I’ve been putting in the work. So it’s about staying motivated, staying hungry to win. I have to really be in there, keep fighting for those moments. And yes, things will change.”

For now, all he’s thinking of is his first round match against the player on a hot run of form. Sen, despite his current ranking of 21, will take heart from past meetings – he has a 1-3 record, and their last match, at the Indonesia Open in June, was a thriller all the way.

“It’s a good opportunity for me, to play him in the early rounds,” says Sen. “He can be a really tricky opponent up in the semifinals or quarterfinals or the final. He’s been very, very strong, very consistent.

“But here, it’s just one match, so I’m taking it as a final and just preparing for that one good match. And then if I win, I’ll think further. But as of now, I’m just going in with the approach of playing well against him.

“He’s a really steady opponent. The main thing is to keep a good length, because he’s got a really good smash. So from the beginning of the game, try and get a good length in the shots and vary the pace in between, because he also likes to rally and play in his particular pace. So for me, it’s important to keep varying the pace, not get caught up in his pace, and then work hard every point, because it’s not going to come easy. And then even in the attack, stay very sharp. Play a little bit more attacking so that I don’t give him many chances to hit, because once he hits, his confidence goes higher. He can be really ruthless. So just be ready for those big smashes and then try and contain him in the defense and try and counter-attack.

“Mentally, I’m preparing for a really good match, as I would prepare for any big match. But it’s a first round match, and I know a lot of things are at stake, but I’ve beaten him in the past, and we have had really close encounters. Even if I win, that’s not a full stop after that. I have to work a lot more in terms of going far in the tournament. So I’m preparing really well, not thinking too ahead, but being in that moment of playing the first round.”

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The 29^th edition of the BWF World Championships in Paris begins tomorrow at 9am local time. Follow the results here.

Withdrawals:

Men’s Singles: Jan Louda (Czech Republic)

Women’s Doubles: Mizuki Otake/Miyu Takahashi (Japan)