Lakshya Sen is now the giant killer! The Indian top men’s singles shuttler finally brought down World No.1 Shi Yuqi in the first round of the All England Open 2026 on Tuesday in Birmingham.
After suffering four consecutive defeats against the Chinese superstar, the World No.12 finally opened his account against Yuqi, defeating him 23-21, 19-21, 21-17 in the opening round of badminton’s oldest and most prestigious tournament.
The match, lasting 1 hour and 18 minutes, was a thrilling neck-and-neck battle with momentum swinging both ways. At 11-all in the first game, it could have gone either way.
But from 11-11 to 17-11, Sen showed he meant business. He stayed aggressive, controlled the rallies, and at 20-19, held his nerve to clinch the opener 23-21.
The second game began in favour of the World No.1, who raced to a 4-2 lead. Slowly, the familiar script seemed to unfold, Yuqi finding his rhythm, forcing errors, and eventually sealing the game 21-19. It felt like history might repeat itself.
But Lakshya Sen wasn’t here to relive the past, he was here to rewrite it.
In the decider, he dug deep. At 13-11, he edged ahead, and from that moment, he never looked back. With fearless shot-making, Sen closed out the third game 21-17.
Lakshya Sen has pulled it off! ✅🔥
The India No 1 has beaten the World No 1 Shi Yu Qi in three epic games in the opening round at All England Open. The defending champion knocked out after a 78-minute thriller. Superb level from Lakshya, especially in Game 3. pic.twitter.com/tl3IiFszpt
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 3, 2026
Lakshya Sen vs Shi Yuqi – The Revenge Taken
This marked his first-ever victory over Shi Yuqi, the same opponent who handed him defeat at last year’s World Championships, who crushed his dreams at the 2025 Indonesia Open, 2024 Asian Championships, and China Masters 2023. This time, the story was different. This time, revenge was complete at the All England Open.
The Indian star will now take on Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong in the second round. Long is another rival Sen has struggled against, currently trailing 1-3 in their head-to-head record.
However, the victory over World No.1 Shi Yuqi will surely serve as a massive morale booster for Lakshya. With that psychological barrier broken and the top seed out of the way, Sen will step onto the court with confidence, perhaps enough to take down any opponent standing in his path, now that the World No.1 is gone.
