Lakshya Sen lifts Australian Open 2025 title with commanding win over Japan’s Yushi Tanaka

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen produced a dazzling all-round performance to clinch the Australian Open 2025 men’s singles title in Sydney on Sunday, overpowering Japan’s Yushi Tanaka 21-15, 21-11 in a dominant 38-minute final. The win marks his first title of the 2025 BWF World Tour and ends a challenging stretch on the international circuit.

The 24-year-old from Almora, who had struggled for consistency after finishing fourth at the Paris Olympics, delivered a resurgent and fluent display throughout the $475,000 Super 500 event. Sen celebrated the victory with his signature “fingers-in-ears” gesture, signalling a powerful comeback after months of fluctuating form.

Sen made a confident start in the final, capitalising on a flurry of early errors from World No. 26 Tanaka to race ahead 6-3. The Japanese shuttler briefly closed the gap with a couple of sharp cross-court winners, but Sen maintained a three-point cushion heading into the mid-game interval, aided by tight net control and clean placements. A 35-shot rally that ended with Tanaka hitting the net summed up the Indian’s dominance as he closed the opener 21-15.

Backed by a vibrant Indian crowd chanting “Lakshya! Lakshya!” in the arena, Sen tightened his hold after the break. His flat, fast exchanges denied Tanaka the lift he needed for his trademark whipping smashes. Though Tanaka pulled within a point at 12-13, Sen surged again with a backhand smash and a fierce cross-court shot to move ahead 17-13 before sealing the game.

The second game turned into a one-sided affair. Sen ramped up the intensity, producing a barrage of smashes and sharp returns to build an 8-4 lead and then a six-point cushion at the interval. Tanaka overplayed his attack and struggled with consistency, repeatedly sending the shuttle wide or into the net. Sen’s excellent judgement of the backline and crisp net duels widened the gap to 17-8.

A series of powerful winners carried Sen to 19-8, and he soon earned 10 match points. After wasting one with a net error, he sealed the title with a sharp cross-court return, clinching one of his most convincing wins of the season.

This triumph is Sen’s biggest title since his Canada Open victory in 2024. He had come close earlier this year, finishing runner-up at the Hong Kong Super 500. The Australian Open crown also makes him only the second Indian shuttler to win a BWF World Tour title in 2025, following Ayush Shetty’s maiden Super 300 triumph at the US Open.

With his renewed rhythm, precision, and confidence, Lakshya Sen’s win in Sydney signals a strong resurgence, and reinforces his status as one of India’s most formidable badminton talents on the global stage.