Lakshya will next face third seed Chou Tien-Chen in the Hong Kong Open 2025 semis.

It was a memorable day for Indian badminton at the Hong Kong Coliseum, with Lakshya Sen and the men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty booking semi-final spots, while young Ayush Shetty bowed out after a spirited campaign.

The highly anticipated all-Indian quarter-final saw Lakshya Sen overcome Ayush in a tense three-game clash. The former world championship medallist started strong, taking the opening game 21-16, but Ayush responded with fearless attacking play to snatch the second 21-17.

In the decider, Lakshya’s experience and control proved decisive as he closed out the match 21-13 to seal his place in the last four.

He will now face the third seed, Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. The head-to-head stands 2-4 against the Indian, though Lakshya memorably defeated Chou at the Paris Olympics quarter-finals, showcasing his ability to deliver on the big stage.

In men’s doubles, Satwik–Chirag continued their fine form, defeating Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap 21-14, 20-22, 21-16 in just over an hour.

The Indian pair looked dominant in the opening game, but their opponents mounted a strong comeback in the second, edging out the World No. 8 pair to level the contest.

In the decider, however, the Indians reasserted themselves with powerful smashes and tight defense, ensuring there was no upset on the cards.

The semi-final test will be tricky for the Indians as they meet the unseeded Taiwanese pair of Chen Cheng Kuan and Lin Bing-Wei.

Despite their lower ranking, the duo has enjoyed a giant-killing run, beating France’s Popov brothers, England’s Ben Lane and Sean Vendy in a thrilling 30-29 decider, and then shocking world No. 14 Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the quarters. Satwik-Chirag will need to be wary of the fearless youngsters.

For Ayush, the defeat marked the end of a breakthrough campaign where he stunned Japan’s Kodai Naraoka earlier in the week. Though he fell short against Lakshya, the teenager’s performances have underlined his promise at the highest level.

Also Read: With US Open title, Ayush Shetty announces himself as Indian badminton’s next big star

Earlier this year, Ayush Shetty, at just 20-year-old, created history by becoming the first Indian shuttler this season to capture a BWF World Tour crown with his triumph at the US Open 2025.

With Lakshya and Satwik-Chirag still in contention, India remains firmly in the hunt for silverware at the Hong Kong Open 2025.

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