‘Not every inspiring sporting story ends with a trophy’: Bindra hails Lakshya Sen’s All England runners-up run
New Delhi, March 9 : Even in defeat, Lakshya Sen has captured admiration across the sporting world, earning praise from Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra for his resilience at the All England Open 2026.
Sen went down 21-15, 22-20 to Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in the men’s singles final, settling for a silver medal. Despite the loss, Bindra highlighted the qualities Sen displayed on the court.
"Not every inspiring sporting story ends with a trophy. Over the last few days, Lakshya Sen has shown India what courage, resilience and belief truly look like,” Bindra wrote on X.
Bindra’s tribute underscored that Sen’s journey was about more than the scoreline. “His run to another All England final, through extraordinary wins and immense physical pain, has been about far more than a result,” he said, praising the 24-year-old for his grit and determination.
The Olympic champion also emphasised the lesson Sen provides to the next generation of Indian athletes: “He has reminded young India that greatness lies not only in winning, but in the honesty of effort, the dignity of the fight and the strength to keep believing.”
Concluding his post, Bindra expressed his personal pride in Sen, saying, "I am Proud of you, @lakshya_sen. Very, very proud."
Sen spent over five hours on court in the earlier rounds and faced a tough challenge against the lightning-fast Lin. He started slowly in the first game, struggling with the depth of his lifts and tosses, allowing Lin to seize control and take the opening game.
In the second game, Sen raised his tempo, winning six consecutive points from 3-4 to lead 9-4. However, Lin gradually clawed back, engaging Sen in long rallies and ultimately converting his second match point to clinch the title. Lin became the first men’s singles player from Chinese Taipei to win the prestigious tournament.
This marked Sen’s second All England final appearance after 2022, highlighting his skill, determination, and resilience despite falling just short of the trophy.