Early bird Lakshya Sen fights to break Malaysia Open jinx

KUALA LUMPUR: Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen has arrived in Kuala Lumpur ahead of schedule, and he is hoping the extra work will finally help him turn the Malaysia Open into something more than a quick stop.

The world No. 13 has been training at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) for the past two days, sparring with several national players including national No. 1 Leong Jun Hao.

Lakshya's decision to come early reflects a player determined to build on the turnaround he staged in the second half of last season.

After battling injuries and inconsistency early in 2025, Lakshya rediscovered his rhythm from July onwards — finishing runner-up at the Hong Kong Open, reaching the semi-finals in Kumamoto and Macau, and capping the revival with a morale-boosting Australia Open triumph in November.

"I struggled with some injuries early last year, but did well towards the end, including winning the Australian Open," said the 24-year-old.

"I want to continue that momentum this year."

Lakshya believes the decision to prepare early — and to get used to conditions — could prove crucial.

"I had two good days of training and sparring with the BAM shuttlers," he said.

"The first match is important, and I'm taking it one match at a time."

The Malaysia Open, however, remains an unresolved chapter.

Since making his debut in 2023, Lakshya has yet to clear the first round at the Axiata Arena, falling at the opening hurdle in all three attempts — a record he is determined to change.

After an illustrious junior career, Lakshya has long been listed among India's brightest talents.

He won bronze at the 2021 World Championships in Huelva, Spain, helped inspire India to their historic Thomas Cup victory in 2022, and reached the All England final the same year.

But injuries and uneven spells have prevented him from fully cementing himself among the world's best, despite once peaking at world No. 6.

This season offers another shot at stability, and Kuala Lumpur provides the first measure.

Lakshya opens against Singaporea's Jason Teh, with a likely second-round meeting against World Tour Finals champion Christo Popov of France.

Should he advance, possible opponents include world No. 1 Shi Yuqi or Lee Zii Jia in the quarter-finals, followed by Anders Antonsen or Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen in the semi-finals.

The Malaysia Open is followed immediately by the India Open, where Lakshya will attempt to reclaim the title he won in 2022, and perhaps extend the momentum he rebuilt late last year.