Lakshya Sen Wins Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026, Secures Back-to-Back BWF Super 500 Titles

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen continued his impressive run of form by winning the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026 title on Sunday. The Indian shuttler staged a remarkable comeback to defeat home favourite Koki Watanabe 13-21, 21-18, 21-14 in the men’s singles final.

The eighth-seeded Sen took one hour and four minutes to seal the victory, securing his second consecutive BWF Super 500 title following his triumph at the Hylo Open in Germany earlier this month. The win also marked the sixth BWF World Tour title of his career.

World No. 15 Watanabe started strongly, dominating the opening game 21-13 without allowing the Indian to take the lead at any stage.

However, Sen showed great composure in the second game. He built a 13-10 lead before winning six consecutive points to move further ahead. Watanabe fought back with seven straight points to narrow the gap to 19-17, but Sen held his nerve to close out the game 21-18 and force a decider.

The final game saw both players engage in a closely contested battle during the opening exchanges. With the score tied at 5-5, Sen gradually took control, establishing an 11-7 lead at the interval before maintaining his advantage to win the game 21-14 and seal the championship.

The victory marks a significant milestone in Sen’s career, as he has won two BWF World Tour titles in a single season for the first time. It was also his third BWF Tour final of the year, following his runner-up finish at the All England Open in March.

The Indian shuttler has now extended his head-to-head record against Watanabe to 5-3. Notably, Sen had lost both their previous meetings this year at the Japan Open and Singapore Open.

With Sunday’s triumph, Lakshya Sen also became the first Indian badminton player to win the Kumamoto Masters Japan title since the tournament was introduced in 2023.

The victory further strengthens his position among the leading names in international badminton and adds another significant achievement to India’s badminton success.