Lakshya Sen Gets New China Masters Opponent After Alex Lanier Withdraws

Lakshya Sen’s China Masters 2026 campaign has undergone a significant change even before the Indian shuttler steps onto court. 

The 25-year-old was originally scheduled to begin the BWF Super 750 tournament against newly crowned world champion Alex Lanier, but the Frenchman’s withdrawal has completely altered the opening-round equation.

Lakshya will now take on Canada’s Victor Lai in the first round at the Shenzhen Sports Centre Gymnasium, replacing what would have been a blockbuster meeting with the new world champion.

The China Masters begins on Tuesday and runs until September 6, with several of India’s leading shuttlers in action as the tournament also serves as an important preparation event ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Lanier had been handed one of the most intriguing first-round assignments of the tournament against Lakshya after completing a sensational run at the World Championships in New Delhi. The 21-year-old Frenchman created history by becoming the first French men's singles player to win the world title. He defeated Japan's Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in the final, producing a dominant performance to claim the biggest title of his career.

His victory also placed him among a select group of non-Asian singles world champions this century.

Lanier's withdrawal means Lakshya avoids an immediate meeting with one of the sport's newest major stars. However, the change does not necessarily mean an easy opening round. Instead, the Indian will face Victor Lai, another player who arrives in China with an impressive recent record.

Victor Lai presents a different challenge

Lai reached the semifinals of the World Championships in New Delhi earlier this month before losing to eventual champion Lanier. He subsequently enters the China Masters with considerable confidence and experience against the world's best players.

For Lakshya, the change in opponent means a different tactical challenge. Rather than preparing for the explosive game of the newly crowned world champion, the Indian will now have to deal with a player who has already demonstrated that he can navigate the pressure of a major championship and compete deep into a tournament.

The first-round match will therefore still demand a strong start from Lakshya. There will be little room for complacency, particularly given the Indian's own inconsistent run through parts of the 2026 season.

Lakshya remains one of India's leading men's singles players and has already demonstrated that he can compete at the highest level. Earlier this year, he reached the All England Open final, underlining his ability to make deep runs at major BWF events. His career resume also includes a World Championships bronze medal and a fourth-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

However, his latest World Championships campaign ended earlier than expected.

Lakshya suffered a second-round defeat to American teenager Garret Tan, ranked outside the world's top 90 at the time. The result was a disappointing one for the Indian, who would have been hoping to build on his strong performances at the All England and use the World Championships as another opportunity to challenge for a major title.

The China Masters now gives him an immediate opportunity to respond.

A strong Indian contingent in Shenzhen

Lakshya will not be India's only major name competing in China. Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will also feature in men's singles. The 33-year-old reached the final of the US Open, a BWF Super 300 tournament, in June. India's biggest challenge outside singles will come from men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.

The world No. 5 combination won the Singapore Badminton Open, another BWF Super 750 event, in May and reached the quarterfinals of the World Championships. They will headline India's doubles challenge in Shenzhen.

MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan will also compete in men's doubles.

The women's singles draw will feature three of India's most promising young players. Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma and Devika Sihag will all compete in Shenzhen, giving India a strong presence in the event. Unnati, 18, made her World Championships debut in New Delhi and reached the second round before losing narrowly to Canada's Michelle Li in three games.

Tanvi has enjoyed a breakthrough season, winning her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Taipei Open, while Devika has also already tasted success after winning the Thailand Masters earlier this year. All three are part of India's Asian Games badminton squad, making the China Masters an important opportunity to gain momentum before the continental competition begins on September 19.

India will also have representation in mixed doubles, with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto and Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde competing. There will be no Indian women's doubles pair in Shenzhen, with Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand who won a historic bronze medal at the World Championships absent from the tournament.

Several members of India's Asian Games squad are therefore using the China Masters as their final major competitive preparation before heading to Japan.

The change in opponent may have removed the immediate blockbuster against Lanier, but Lakshya's challenge remains substantial. The Indian will need to put his disappointing World Championships exit behind him and rediscover the form that carried him to the All England final earlier this season.

The China Masters also offers something beyond the tournament itself. With the Asian Games approaching, strong performances in Shenzhen could provide valuable momentum and confidence for India's leading players.

No Indian badminton player has won the China Masters since the tournament was first held in 2005. Lakshya will now begin his latest attempt to change that record against Victor Lai.

Lanier may have withdrawn, but the pressure on Lakshya Sen remains.