Lakshya Sen turned what began as a nerve-wracking encounter into a commanding victory in the first round of the BWF World Championships 2026, held at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on August 18. Battling shifting drift and an unrelenting opponent, the Indian star showcased resilience and adaptability to emerge with a 16-21, 21-8, 21-4 win over World No. 128 Collins Valentine Filimon.
## Roaring Home Support and Early Strife
From the moment Lakshya stepped onto the court, the crowd’s energy surged. Delhi has long embraced the 24-year-old badminton ace, cheering familiar chants like “Lakshya bhai superstar” and “Let’s go Lakshya, let’s go!” The atmosphere mirrored that of this year’s India Open, where similar cheers echoed for the Almora-born shuttler.
Expectations were high ahead of Sen’s match against Austria’s Filimon. Still, the first game revealed cracks in Sen’s usual composure. Struggling to adjust to windy indoor drift, he played more cautiously than usual, fearful of overshooting shots. Filimon capitalized, especially after 13–12, shooting ahead to steal the opener 21–16.
## Tactical Turnaround and the Second Set Surge
Lakshya’s corner quickly assessed the trouble. In the first set’s aftermath, adjustments were made—most notably altering shot lifts and minimizing flat drives—measures aimed to curb Filimon’s dominance at the net and make his height an asset. Once Lakshya switched ends, everything changed.
He kicked off the second game with a spectacular diving save at 6–7, a rally that reignited the crowd and turned momentum sharply in his favor. By the interval, Sen held an 11–8 lead—and from there, he never looked back. He dominated the second, winning it 21–8 with smarter shot distribution, improved court movement, and consistent control.
## Decisive Closure and Statement-Making Third Game
Entering the third set, Lakshya’s confidence radiated. He surged ahead early, opening a massive 14–1 lead. Delhi’s crowd sensed the shift; the threat of an upset had evaporated. Lakshya finished emphatically 21–4, sealing a matchup that threatened to slip before it turned into a masterclass.
Reflecting on the match afterward, Lakshya said, “In the second and third sets…my lifts were going short in the first game, so the tall player was taking advantage of it. I just tried to get control of my lifts and not get into flat drives…getting him into rallies.”
## Strategic Preparation and Venue Acclimation
Sen’s composure under pressure owed much to his recent training strategy. Rather than relying on Bengaluru as his base, he spent time at Guwahati’s National Centre of Excellence, whose indoor conditions closely mirrored those in Delhi. This was a specific choice to adapt to similar drift and airflow, especially ahead of hosting the World Championships—India’s first in 17 years. Lakshya called the preparation “a training camp,” underlining its purpose.
Just earlier in 2026, Sen reached the quarter-finals of the India Open in Delhi. That appearance gave him some context for performing under local expectations, but this World Championships shape-up was on another level.
## What Comes Next
While the first-round scare will linger in mind, Lakshya’s response has renewed belief in what could still be a formidable run. Next, he meets the USA’s world No. 92 Garret Tan. If all goes well, a clash with second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn lies in wait—potentially in the third round.
Through 45 minutes of fast-paced badminton pressure, Sen transformed early challenges into a victory that spoke to his maturity—both as an athlete and a strategist. And as the crowd’s cheers confirmed, Delhi got exactly what it came for.
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