'Greater Victories Await': Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis Praises Lakshya Sen For Inspiring Runner-Up Finish At All England Open Badminton Championships 2026

Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday praised Lakshya Sen for an inspiring runner-up finish at the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026. Sen won a silver medal after the 24-year-old went down in the men's singles final 21-15, 22-20 against Chinese Taipei's Lin Chun-Yi. While congratulating Sen, Fadnavis called his journey inspiring and said that champions rise through every challenge.

Taking to his official handle on X (formerly Twitter), CM Fadnavis wrote, "Champions rise through every challenge! Kudos to Lakshya Sen for an inspiring runner-up finish at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham. His relentless effort, passion, and fighting spirit have captured the hearts of the nation. The journey continues, and even greater victories await."

Sen fought hard through the 57-minute encounter against the lightning-fast Lin but ended on the wrong side of the scoreline for the second time in the All England final. Lin, who had won the Yonex-Sunrise India Open Super 500 title earlier this year, became the first men's singles player from Chinese Taipei to clinch the title in the prestigious tournament.

Two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen's "phenomenal run" in the All England Open 2026. Taking to X, Sindhu wrote, "Never easy to come back and play a final less than 24 hours after a brutal semifinal. Those matches really stay in the legs."

Sharing her own experience from 2021 All England Open Badminton Championships, she added, "I had a really long quarterfinal against Akane Yamaguchi, and the very next day had to step back on court for the semifinal against Pornpawee Chochuwong. Let me tell you, it's brutal."