Lakshya Sen Beats Alwi Farhan to Enter Japan Masters Final

Kumamoto: Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen continued his impressive late-season comeback by defeating Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in three games to reach the men’s singles final of the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026 on Saturday. The victory keeps him in contention for a second consecutive BWF Tour title.

The eighth-seeded Sen rallied after losing the second game to beat sixth seed Farhan 21-12, 15-21, 21-11 in a 69-minute semifinal at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium. It was also his first win over the Indonesian, having lost their previous two encounters.

Sen dominated the opening game with effective net play and consistent rallies. World No. 10 Farhan struggled to match the Indian’s intensity as Sen built an early lead and closed out the game 21-12.

Farhan fought back in the second game, relying on his speed and court coverage to unsettle Sen. The Indonesian extended rallies and forced errors from the Indian to level the match with a 21-15 win.

Sen responded strongly in the decider, varying his attacking strokes and targeting Farhan’s backhand. He established an early lead and maintained control throughout to seal the match 21-11.

The semifinal win extends Sen’s strong run following his title-winning campaign at the Hylo Open in Germany. On November 1, he defeated defending champion Jonatan Christie 21-17, 21-10 in the final to claim his first BWF Tour title since the Australian Open in November 2025.

Sen has maintained that momentum in Kumamoto, opening his campaign with a straight-game victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu Jen. He then overcame China’s Dong Tian Yao before defeating home favourite Yushi Tanaka to reach the semifinals.

Sen will now compete for another title on Sunday against either Thailand’s second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn or Japan’s Koki Watanabe.

The final could also have a bearing on his qualification hopes for the BWF World Tour Finals. Sen was 12th in the race standings before the semifinal, with only the top eight players qualifying for the season-ending tournament in China. Another title would boost his chances of breaking into the elite group.

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