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The 2023 Japan Open's round of 16 promised quite a few thrilling matches for Indian badminton fans. On top of this list was Lakshya Sen's pre-quarters clash against home favorite Kanta Tsuneyama.
Sen and Tsuneyama had previously locked horns at the 2021 Indonesia Masters, where the former emerged victorious in a match that went down to the wire (21-17, 18-21, 21-17).
Coming into the pre-quarters on Thursday, July 27, both players looked ready to give each other a tough fight. While Sen eked out a win over compatriot Priyanshu Rajawat in a first-round thriller, Tsuneyama registered a surprising victory over second-seed Anthony Ginting in his opening clash.
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The match between Sen and Tsuneyama began at an astonishing pace, with both players going straight for the attack. With the finesse that sets him apart from the rest, Sen took home the first game 21-14.
Despite taking a hit in the first game, the 27-year-old Japanese player looked ready to fight back in the second. The two players fought toe-to-toe until the interval, where Sen led 11-9. Tsuneyama raised his level after the break, using powerful body smashes to get a 15-13 lead.
Right when it looked like fans might be in for a decider, the Indian prodigy made a tremendous comeback. With impeccable attack and defense, the 21-year-old closed the game 21-16, and entered the quarterfinals.
Lakshya Sen's quarterfinals at the Japan Open 2023
With a hard-fought win under his belt, Lakshya Sen will be looking to recover well before his quarterfinals clash. The Indian will be facing either Japan's Koki Watanabe or Malaysia's Ng Tze Yong. Watanabe is currently ranked 33rd in the world, while Tze Yong holds 21st place.
However, both players entered their pre-quarters with strong wins. While Watanabe beat compatriot and once world-champion Kento Momoto in his round-of-32 match, Tze Yong got the better of seventh seed Loh Kean Yew.
Given the strong performances of his opponents, Sen certainly has a fight on his hands. The World No. 14 has his work cut out for him and fans will be looking forward to watching him battle for a spot in the semifinals of the Japan Open.
Sen has had solid performances in the last few tournaments, with a title win at the US Open and a semifinal finish at the Canada Open. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his performance and claim the Japan Open title.
