Lakshya Sen signs off with runner-up finish at All England Open

Birmingham, Mar 8 (PTI) Indian badminton ace Lakshya Sen went down to familiar foe Lin Chun-Yi in the men's singles final of the All England Open here on Sunday as the country's wait to see a champion again at the prestigious tournament continued.

The 24-year-old Indian fought hard but could not overcome the challenge of the left-handed Taiwanese shuttler, losing the intense title clash 15-21 20-22.

It was Sen's fifth straight defeat to Lin and second runner-up finish at the tournament. He had made the final in 2022 as well, but could not cross the finish line.

Sen, who battled through blisters and cramps during a gritty semifinal win on Saturday, produced a spirited campaign through the week, defeating a string of higher-ranked opponents before falling short in the title clash against Lin.

Only two Indians -- Prakash Padukone (1980) and P Gopichand (2001) -- have won the men's singles title at All England Open in history. PTI APS APS AH AH