Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen made history on Sunday, 15 November 2025, becoming the first Indian to win the Kumamoto Masters in Japan, defeating home favourite Koki Watanabe 13-21, 21-18, 21-14 in the men's singles final to extend his winning streak to two consecutive BWF World Tour titles. The comeback victory — completed in one hour and four minutes — also marked the first time in his career that he has claimed two World Tour titles in a single season.

A Final Defined by Resilience

Watanabe dominated the opening game, exploiting what Lakshya later admitted were 'easy lifts' that allowed the Japanese shuttler to smash through him at will. The Indian regrouped effectively, overhauling his shot selection in the second and third games by pushing for greater length and adopting a more attacking approach in rallies.

'The sides were a little bit difficult to play. There was some wind on the stadium, so I just kept my confidence up in the second set and played the rallies. In the first set, I made some easy lifts, which is why he could smash the shuttle through me, but in the second and third sets, I was trying to give a good length and also play a bit more attacking,' Lakshya explained after the match.

Back-to-Back Titles: What Lakshya Said

The Kumamoto triumph followed his Hylo Open title win in Germany earlier this month, making him the first Indian to string together consecutive BWF World Tour victories in a single season. Lakshya attributed the run to an unwavering self-belief, particularly in matches where he found himself a game down.

'Just keeping my confidence up even though it has been tough matches. I have started with a game down in many matches, but it was really good of me that I kept believing in myself and kept on playing and fighting,' he said after the final.

The victory also held personal significance — Lakshya had reached the semi-finals of the same tournament last year, and stepping it up to claim the title represented a clear progression. 'Feels very good to win a title here. Last year I played the semi-finals, and I'm happy I could better the results from last time. It's my second title back-to-back, and I would love to continue this form ahead,' he said.

World Tour Finals Qualification Push

Beyond the trophy, the Kumamoto Masters win earned Lakshya 9,200 ranking points, giving a substantial boost to his bid to qualify for the BWF World Tour Finals 2026 in Hangzhou. With one tournament remaining in his season — the Hong Kong Open — the six-time BWF World Tour title winner is well-positioned to secure a berth at the season-ending showpiece.

'Definitely, that is one thing which we will be fighting for. This tournament will definitely help me to get good points for that as well. I have one more tournament, the Hong Kong Open…so I'm focused on that,' Lakshya said.

What Comes Next

Lakshya will now direct his focus to the Hong Kong Open, where a strong performance could cement his place among the year-end qualifiers for Hangzhou. His current form — two titles in as many weeks — makes him arguably the most in-form men's singles shuttler on the BWF circuit heading into the final stretch of the season.