BWF World Tour Finals: India’s Lakshya Sen progressed into the semifinals of the ongoing Badminton World Tour Finals alongside World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen as the other two players in Group A (Men’s Singles) pulled out of the tournament with injuries.
Lakshya Sen was placed in a tough Group alongside World’s best players like Kento Momota, Rasmus Gemke, and Viktor Axelsen. However, the circumstances have favored the 20-year-old rising star as he has walked into the semis of the BWF World Tour Finals, that too on his debut.
BWF World Tour Finals: Debutant Lakshya Sen progresses to semifinals as Momota, Gemke pull out with injuries
Kento Momota and Rasmus Gemke have pulled out with back injury and knee injury respectively. Both the players could not complete their opening matches against India’s Lakshya Sen and Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen respectively. After the match, it was confirmed by these two that they won’t be taking any further part in the tournament, gifting the other two participants a place in the semifinals.
Momota withdrew citing a back injury at 1-1 in the opening game against India’s Sen. He sustained the injury in training earlier today.
“I am so sorry to my fans to end up like this,” said an upset Momota.
🗣 “I am so sorry to my fans to end up like this.” 🇯🇵
A disappointed Kento Momota bows out injured joining Rasmus Gemke 🇩🇰 as another casualty of Group A.#BWFWorldTour #BaliFinals2021https://t.co/Gxcd7xjy9g
— BWF (@bwfmedia) December 1, 2021
BWF World Tour Finals: Debutant Lakshya Sen progresses to semifinals as Momota, Gemke pull out with injuries
Meanwhile, Gemke pulled out trailing 5-1 against compatriot Axelsen in game one. The Danish shuttler was under an injury cloud heading into the match after hurting his right knee in his match against Kenta Nishimoto last week.
Now with the two players pulled out, under the tournament regulations, the remaining fixtures of Group A (Men’s Singles) involving Momota and Gemke will be walkovers and their fixtures from today have been declared no match.