New Delhi: Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen wrapped up a brilliant week in Sydney by winning the Australian Open 2025 men’s singles title, defeating Japan’s Yushi Tanaka 21-15, 21-11 in a convincing straight-games victory. The win ended his dry spell this season and marked his first trophy of the year.

Lakshya reached the final after a hard-fought semifinal battle against world No. 6 Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. That match stretched to 86 minutes, with Lakshya saving three match points before turning it around 17-21, 24-22, 21-16.

Compared with that draining encounter, Sunday’s final felt like a smooth ride. He closed it out in just 38 minutes, barely giving Tanaka—ranked world No. 26 and already a two-time Super 300 winner this year—any room to play his natural game.

Right from the opening rallies, Lakshya looked sharp and in control. He began by dominating the net, taking an early 6-3 lead. Even when Tanaka tried to push him back with deeper returns, Lakshya adjusted quickly and switched to powerful smashes, heading into the mid-game break at 11-9. From there, he dictated nearly every point.

The second game was even more one-sided. Lakshya jumped to an 11-5 lead and never let the pressure drop. Tanaka managed to save one match point, but the gap was too big to close. Lakshya sealed the win with a strong cross-court finish.

This victory is particularly meaningful for Lakshya after a tough patch following his fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics. His last title came at the Syed Modi International in 2024, and although he made the Hong Kong Super 500 final earlier this year, he hadn’t been able to convert it into a title.

Lakshya now becomes only the second Indian man to win the Australian Open, after Kidambi Srikanth in 2017. His performance this week sends a clear message: he’s back in form and ready to chase bigger victories in the months ahead.