Kumamoto, Nov 15 — Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen credited his ability to remain confident through difficult matches for his recent run of success after becoming the first Indian to win the Kumamoto Masters title in Japan on Sunday, extending his winning streak to two consecutive BWF World Tour titles.
Lakshya rallied from a game down to defeat home favourite Koki Watanabe 13-21, 21-18, 21-14 in the men’s singles final, completing the comeback in one hour and four minutes. The victory followed his Hylo Open triumph in Germany earlier this month and marked the first time in his career that he has won two World Tour titles in a single season.
Reflecting on the factors behind his consecutive title wins, Lakshya said his belief had helped him navigate matches in which he had to recover from early setbacks.
“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 Kumamoto title also carried added significance for the Indian, who had reached the semi-finals at the tournament last year but went a step further this time to claim the trophy.
“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,” Lakshya said.
The final tested that resolve. Watanabe dominated the opening game, but Lakshya adjusted his approach in the following two games, focusing on controlling the length of his shots and taking the initiative 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,” he explained.
The triumph has also strengthened Lakshya’s bid to qualify for the BWF World Tour Finals 2026 in Hangzhou. His Kumamoto victory earned him 9,200 ranking points, giving his season-ending campaign a significant boost.
“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,” he said.
The six-time BWF World Tour title winner will now turn his attention to the Hong Kong Open, with an opportunity to build on his momentum and strengthen his qualification prospects.