Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen suffered a stunning second round defeat to American teenager Garret Tan during a grueling seventy three minute encounter at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi on Wednesday. The tournament favorite struggled throughout the contest, ultimately falling 21-19, 19-21, 17-21 to the world number 92 in what became the most significant upset of the victor’s professional career.
Former chief national mentor Vimal Kumar did not hold back his frustration regarding the outcome. “Lakshya lost to a very ordinary player, and there is no excuse for this performance.” The veteran coach pointed out that the home contender displayed a passive approach, committing numerous unforced errors and failing to establish any command over the exchanges.
Unprecedented Upset by the American Teenager
For the eighteen year old victor, the triumph completely disrupted his schedule, as he humorously noted that his departure flight had originally been booked for Friday. Prior to arriving in the national capital, the former world junior number seven had struggled to break past qualifying rounds at tour level events this year, securing his previous victories primarily on the International Challenge circuit.
Tactical Breakdown and Coaching Criticism
The contest shifted drastically in the second game as the challenger dictated the pace, securing a 21-19 win to force a decider. Vimal Kumar highlighted the tactical shortcomings during the post match analysis, stating as per India Today “There was also very little initiative to get underneath the shuttle and play attacking, downward shots. He was too passive and allowed the opponent to dictate the rallies.” The coaching staff further noted that basic defensive lifts lacked conviction, forcing the player into unnecessary errors.
“Even the basic lifts from the net to the back court lacked confidence. He did not look confident enough to sustain rallies without making mistakes, and that put him under unnecessary pressure.” Overall, he looked very ordinary today. This is a match he should have won,” he added.
Frustration boiled over when the fourteenth seed threw his racket and received a warning from the chair umpire following a poor start to the final game, where the American quickly surged to an 8-2 advantage. Although local supporters rallied behind the home favorite with loud drumming and chants, and a resilient six point streak narrowed the gap during a grueling forty one shot rally, physical exhaustion ultimately caught up with both competitors.
Concluding Remarks and Reactions
Following a brief medical interruption after the American collided with the floor during a diving retrieval, the match concluded with the teenager securing the final game 21-17. The victorious youngster admitted sheer disbelief, stating, “I’m still speechless right now, I just… I can’t believe I’m playing tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, the vanquished Indian reflected soberly on the physical toll, noting, “I think overall it was a very hard-fought match and… yeah, I gave it my all, whatever I had in the tank. Towards the end of third set, I was also exhausted, physically.” This early exit compounds a turbulent 2026 campaign for the 14th seed, who previously reached the All England final by defeating world number one Shi Yuqi, yet continues to battle inconsistency on the international
