NEW DELHI: Indian badminton enjoyed a memorable Super Sunday at the Hylo Open 2026 as Lakshya Sen ended his year-long wait for a BWF World Tour title, joining PV Sindhu in winning the men’s and women’s singles crowns at the Super 500 tournament in Saarbrücken, Germany.Lakshya produced a commanding performance to defeat Indonesia’s fourth seed Jonatan Christie 21-17, 21-10 in the men’s singles final, bringing an end to his title drought that had stretched back to the Australian Open in November 2025.Earlier, double Olympic medallist Sindhu had clinched the women’s singles title with a dominant 21-12, 21-14 victory over Denmark’s Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt. The two straight-game victories ensured India walked away with both singles trophies, capping a remarkable campaign at the USD 500,000 event.For Lakshya, the victory was particularly significant after a season disrupted by injuries and inconsistent performances. The 25-year-old had reached the All England Championships final earlier this year but had struggled to maintain that level in subsequent tournaments.
Lakshya dominates Christie to end title drought
The men’s singles final initially developed into a closely fought contest, with both players engaging in fast-paced rallies and exchanging powerful smashes.Lakshya made an aggressive start to take an 8-4 lead, using sharp cross-court angles and attacking strokes to push Christie around the court. The Indonesian, however, responded with a five-point run to move ahead 9-8.The Indian recovered his composure and gradually regained control through solid defence, deceptive net play and well-directed smashes. He held his nerve in the closing exchanges to take the opening game 21-17.The second game was far more one-sided. Lakshya raised his intensity, capitalising on Christie’s unforced errors while controlling the rallies with excellent movement and shot selection.The Indian repeatedly neutralised the Indonesian’s attacking strokes and turned defence into counter-attacking opportunities. Christie struggled to find answers as Lakshya extended his advantage and eventually sealed the game 21-10 to secure the title.The victory also levelled Lakshya’s career head-to-head record against Christie at 4-4.
Sindhu leads India’s double title celebration
Sindhu had set the tone for India’s title-winning Sunday by defeating Kjærsfeldt in the women’s singles final.It was Sindhu’s second title of the season after her Japan Open triumph in July. She had also finished runner-up at the French Open last week, making the Hylo Open victory another significant boost to her late-season campaign.The Indian’s title run also earned her 9,200 ranking points, keeping her in contention for qualification for the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals.Lakshya had also spoken about rediscovering his rhythm after an injury-interrupted period following his semifinal victory.“I’ve had a few niggles here and there, and I was out for some time. At certain tournaments, I wasn’t really 100 per cent. But I’m happy with the way I’ve played here. It’s a really good confidence booster because I haven’t played this many matches in a row over the last couple of months,” he had said.“I’m really happy to reach another final. Since the All England Championships, I think this is the first time I’ve felt that I was playing really well again. I can feel myself getting back into rhythm and playing good badminton.”With Sindhu and Lakshya both finishing on top of the podium, India secured a memorable double at the Hylo Open, with the two leading shuttlers delivering a timely boost ahead of the closing stretch of the badminton season.
