Lakshya Sen wins Japan Open badminton title
The world number 13 secured his second consecutive BWF Tour title by defeating Koki Watanabe in Kumamoto.
Lakshya Sen clinched the Japan Open badminton title on Sunday after defeating Japan's Koki Watanabe 13-21, 21-18, 21-14 in Kumamoto. According to the Deccan Herald, the victory marks Sen's second consecutive BWF Tour title following his win at the Hylo Open.
The match lasted one hour and four minutes. The win moves Sen into a qualifying position for the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou. He earned 9,200 points from the tournament, which will bring his total to 74,180 points in the standings when updated on Tuesday.
Before this event, the eighth seed was 12th in the Race to Finals standings with 64,980 points. He required a top-eight finish to qualify for the season-ending event.
Watanabe took an early lead in the first game, leading 10-5 at the break. Sen recovered in the second game to win 21-18. In the deciding game, Sen built a lead and eventually sealed the match with a cross-court winner.
The race to Hangzhou continues with the Hong Kong Open scheduled for November 17-22 as the final qualifying event.