Odense (Denmark), Oct 19 (NationPress) India’s Lakshya Sen delivered an impressive display at the tournament, defeating the second seed and world number two Anders Antonsen in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the men’s singles event at the ongoing badminton tournament on Thursday.

The 23-year-old, currently ranked 21st in the world, played with exceptional poise and determination, overpowering the Dane with scores of 21-13 and 21-14 in a swift 53-minute second-round match. Sen exhibited remarkable tactical awareness, skillfully mixing pace and control to keep Antonsen under relentless pressure.

In his opening match on Wednesday, Sen had already made a strong start by defeating Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen. His current momentum positions him for a quarterfinal showdown against the winner of the contest between Weng Hong Yang of China and Alex Lanier of France.

This victory stands as one of Sen’s most significant wins against a high-ranking opponent this season, showcasing his return to form following an injury-prone year. His precise net shots, powerful smashes, and strategic variations in speed left Axelsen struggling to establish his rhythm throughout the match.

In other news, India’s premier men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, continued their excellent performance by winning in straight games against the Taiwanese duo Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan, thus progressing to the quarterfinals as well. The sixth-seeded Indian duo secured a victory with scores of 21-19 and 21-17 in a brisk 41-minute match.

Satwik and Chirag faced challenges in both games but maintained their composure during critical moments, relying on their signature aggressive net play and robust court coverage.

The duo had previously triumphed over Scotland’s Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley in their opening round on Wednesday.