Lakshya Sen made such a brilliant comeback at the 2026 Asian Games - defeating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in a thrilling men’s badminton team quarterfinal match and giving India an early 1-0 lead.
Sen defeated Naraoka in a three-game thriller 11-21, 21-5, 21-19. The Indian shuttler was in trouble in the final game when Naraoka opened up a 19-13 advantage, but Sen turned things around to win the game 21-19.
The win in the team event for India gave it a huge advantage against Japan. India's men's badminton team came to the quarterfinals after defeating Bangladesh 3-0 in the opening round, and Sen, Ayush Shetty and Kidambi Srikanth won their singles matches.
The Japan tie was going to be a much tougher match with Naraoka among the top players in the Japanese lineup. Sen's match with Naraoka had already been set up as one of the most important singles matches of the quarterfinal.
Sen’s opening game did not go as planned as Naraoka took 21-11. The Indian responded with an emphatic 21-5 score in the second game, taking the victory and forcing a decider.
The third game was a close battle. Naraoka had a six-point lead at 19-13, and Sen had to play like a man with little margin for error. But the Indian never stopped trying to come back and won eight consecutive points to take the game and win the final 21-19.
The result put India 1-0 ahead against Japan in the men’s team quarterfinal. The Indian men’s team entered the Asian Games as the silver medallists in the last edition, and a win in the quarterfinal would ensure a team medal.
Sen’s comeback was particularly important given the quality of the opponent and the pressure of the team event. Every singles and doubles match contributes to the tie, so the opening match is very important for both teams.
With India up 1-0, the focus is on the rest of the quarterfinal matches. The Indian team has experienced and highly rated players, and Japan has home support at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Sen’s victory is also just another chapter in his international career. His comeback from 13-19 down in the deciding game and 21-19 win ensured that India started the quarterfinal with momentum.
