India's star badminton player Lakshya Sen's French Open Super 750 campaign ended disappointingly. Lakshya Sen, who had been in brilliant form recently, suffered a first-round defeat against Ireland's Nhat Nguyen.
Sports News: In the first round of the French Open Super 750 held in Paris on October 21, India's Lakshya Sen faced a defeat in the men's singles tournament at the hands of Ireland's Nhat Nguyen. Lakshya Sen had recently reached the finals of the Hong Kong Open and was in good form, having defeated Nguyen in the Denmark Open last week. However, he could not replicate his previous success at the French Open. In this first-round match, Sen lost 7-21, 16-21 and appeared to be under considerable pressure throughout the match.
Lakshya Sen Under Pressure in First Set
From the start of the match, Lakshya Sen struggled to find his rhythm. Nguyen played aggressively, quickly building a lead, while Lakshya couldn't control his shots. In the first game, he repeatedly hit shots into the net or out of bounds. He was trailing 2-7 early on. By the break, Nguyen had established a b 11-5 lead.
Lakshya did try to make a comeback, but Nguyen, with his precise smashes and net play, quickly extended the score to 19-7. Finally, with a brilliant cross-court winner, Nguyen easily claimed the first set 21-7.
No Success in Second Set Either
Lakshya Sen's start in the second set was also weak. He fell behind 1-6 in the early points. Although he reduced the deficit to 4-6, continuous unforced errors prevented him from moving ahead. Nguyen maintained an 11-5 lead until the break with excellent net drops and precise court coverage. Lakshya attempted a comeback in the middle of the second set, bringing the score to 11-15, but his incorrect shots at crucial moments turned the tide of the match. Ultimately, Nguyen won the second set 21-16, claiming the match.
This defeat is considered a major setback for Lakshya Sen, as he had recently reached the finals of the Hong Kong Open 2025 and performed brilliantly. Moreover, he had also defeated Nhat Nguyen in the Denmark Open. Therefore, better performance was expected from him at the French Open. However, this loss once again indicated that Lakshya needs to work on his consistency and shot selection. Playing under continuous pressure on the international circuit has also shown the need for improvement in his mental resilience and decision-making abilities.
Relief for Indian Badminton — Mixed Doubles Victory
While Lakshya Sen's defeat disappointed Indian fans, there was good news from the mixed doubles. The Indian pair Rohan Kapoor and G. Ruthvika Shivani put up a brilliant performance, advancing to the second round. They defeated the Ukrainian pair Oleksiy Titov and Yevheniya Kantemyr in a match that lasted only 32 minutes, with scores of 21-12, 21-19.
Rohan and Ruthvika adopted an aggressive approach from the start, maintaining pressure on the opposing pair with smashes and net drives. Although the second set was a bit closer, the Indian pair did not lose their composure and secured decisive points to book their spot in the next round.
