All England Open 2025: Lakshay Sen knocks out defending champion Jontan Christie to reach quarters, Satwik-Chirag retired hurt

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Lakshya Sen produced a sensational performance at the All England Open 2025, eliminating defending champion and third seed Jonatan Christie to storm into the quarterfinals.

The Indian shuttler dominated his pre-quarterfinal clash in Birmingham on Thursday, registering a commanding 21-13, 21-10 victory. Lakshya, who has been in fine form, displayed impeccable control and relentless attacking play, not allowing Christie any room to settle.

With this victory, he remains India's sole hope in the men's singles category, keeping alive the nation's aspirations for a historic title. Meanwhile, India's challenge in women's singles ended as Malvika Bansod bowed out in the round of 16, losing 16-21, 13-21 to third seed Akane Yamaguchi.

Earlier, PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, suffered a first-round exit against South Korea's Kim Ga Eun. Sindhu started strong, taking the first game 21-19, but eventually lost momentum, going down 21-13, 21-13 in the next two games.

In the men's doubles category, India suffered a major setback as the star duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had to retire due to injury. They were forced to withdraw from their round-of-16 clash, handing their Chinese opponents, Xie HN and Zeng WH, a walkover. This abrupt exit is a huge disappointment for Indian badminton fans, as the pair was considered strong contenders for the title.

Elsewhere, in the mixed doubles, the Indian duo of Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Gadde put up a spirited fight against fifth seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Wei Ya Xin but ultimately fell short, losing 10-21, 12-21.

The All England Open remains one of the most prestigious tournaments in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour calendar. Despite India's rich history in the event, only two players-Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001)-have won the singles title. With Lakshya Sen in fine form, Indian fans will be hopeful for a deep run in the tournament.

As the tournament heads into its crucial stages, all eyes will be on Lakshya Sen as he aims to etch his name in history with a potential title charge.