It was third time lucky for Lakshya Sen. After losing two back-to-back matches in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, Sen finally delivered when it mattered the most.
India’s top men’s singles player Lakshya Sen rallied back splendidly to shock Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in three pulsating games in the Thomas Cup final in Bangkok on Sunday, May 16.
World No. 9 Lakshya Sen recorded a thrilling come-from-behind victory to give India a vital 1-0 lead in the best-of-five-match contest.
World Championship bronze medalist Lakshya stunned world No. 5 Ginting 8-21, 21-17, 21-16 in a battle that lasted an hour and five minutes.
Second successive win for Lakshya over Ginting
Before the start of the match, 20-year-old Lakshya was leading 1-0 against Ginting in the head-to-head record.
In their only meeting at the German Open two months ago, Lakshya defeated Ginting quite convincingly 21-7, 21-9.
However, this time around, Lakshya had to stretch fully to get the better of the dangerous Indonesian.
Ginting has vast experience of playing in the Thomas Cup. The 26-year-old Ginting was playing his 20th match at the Thomas Cup.
However, it was the first time Lakshya played in the Thomas Cup. Lakshya displayed a terrific show of skill, temperament and character to pull off one of the best wins of his career.
Watch the moment Lakshya Sen beat Indonesia's Anthony Ginting
After a change of ends in the deciding game, Lakshya was on a roll. He changed gears and began playing on another level as his teammates loudly cheered him on. He did not take much time and converted his first match point to help India earn a 1-0 lead.
On match point, Lakshya surprised Ginting in a close net game to the right of the court.
Ginting returned softly but the shuttle did not cross the net. It was a magical moment for Lakshya and his teammates. It sent the Indian camp into a frenzy as an emotional and gleeful Lakshya fell to the ground. His father, DK Sen, and mentor, Vimal Kumar, were overcome with emotion on the sidelines of the court.