Lakshya Sen storms into Japan Masters 2026 final after beating Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in three games

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen continued his impressive run of form as he defeated Indonesia's Alwi Farhan in a thrilling three-game semifinal to reach the men's singles final of the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026 on Saturday.

The eighth-seeded Indian registered a 21-12, 15-21, 21-11 victory over sixth seed Farhan in a 69-minute contest at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium. With this win, Sen also secured his first victory over the Indonesian after losing their previous two encounters.

Sen started the semifinal on a positive note, displaying attacking intent and maintaining control of the rallies. His sharp net play and consistency put Farhan under pressure as the Indian comfortably claimed the opening game 21-12.

However, Farhan bounced back in the second game. The Indonesian improved his court coverage and used his speed to put Sen on the defensive. He extended the rallies and capitalised on the Indian's errors to take the game 21-15, forcing a decider.

The Indian shuttler raised his level in the third game and regained control of the contest. Sen targeted Farhan's backhand and found greater success with his attacking shots. He built an early lead and maintained his advantage to seal the deciding game 21-11 and book his place in the final.

Lakshya Sen continues winning run after Hylo Open triumph

The semifinal victory extends Sen's impressive late-season run, which began with his title-winning campaign at the Hylo Open in Germany. The Indian had defeated defending champion Jonatan Christie 21-17, 21-10 in the final on November 1 to claim his first BWF Tour title since winning the Australian Open in November 2025.

Sen has carried that momentum into the Japan Masters. He began his campaign with a straight-game victory over Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen before defeating China's Dong Tian Yao and Japan's Yushi Tanaka to reach the semifinals.

The Indian will now face either Thailand's second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn or Japan's Koki Watanabe in Sunday's final as he looks to secure his second consecutive BWF Tour title.

Lakshya Sen's BWF World tour finals qualification hopes

The Japan Masters final could also play a crucial role in Sen's bid to qualify for the BWF World Tour Finals. The Indian was placed 12th in the qualification race ahead of his semifinal, with only the top eight players earning a place in the season-ending tournament in China.

A second consecutive title would give Sen an important opportunity to strengthen his position in the race and move closer to securing a spot among the eight qualifiers.