Double title hopes for India! PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen reach Hylo Open finals

Hylo Open 2026: PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen storm into title clashes, India target double crown

Indian badminton is poised for a memorable Sunday at the Hylo Open 2026, with PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen advancing to the women’s and men’s singles finals in Saarbrucken, Germany. Both shuttlers delivered convincing straight-game wins in their respective semifinals on Saturday, keeping India’s hopes of securing two titles alive at the USD 500,000 BWF Super 500 event.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu defeated compatriot Anmol Kharb 21-13, 21-16 in an all-Indian encounter. The victory extended her impressive run after reaching the French Open final last week. She will now compete against Denmark’s eighth-seeded Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt for the championship.

Lakshya was equally impressive, brushing aside France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-17, 21-13 to secure his place in the men’s singles final. He will face either Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie or Denmark’s top-seeded Anders Antonsen in the title match.

Sindhu uses experience to overcome Anmol
Sindhu produced a composed performance to end Anmol’s impressive campaign. The 31-year-old controlled the contest with powerful attacking shots, sharp net exchanges and consistent placement, preventing her 19-year-old opponent from maintaining pressure for long.

Anmol began the opening game positively and took a 4-2 lead, but Sindhu gradually gained control. The former world champion entered the interval ahead 11-9 and increased her advantage through aggressive play after the restart. She comfortably secured the first game 21-13.

The second game saw Anmol put up stronger resistance. The youngster exchanged points with Sindhu and even moved ahead 15-13 after producing a couple of impressive smashes. However, Sindhu quickly recovered, took advantage of unforced errors and levelled the score at 15-15.

Using her experience in the decisive moments, Sindhu moved ahead and maintained her advantage to seal the match 21-16. The victory has given her another opportunity to end a tournament on a winning note after finishing second at the French Open.

Lakshya gets past Popov with authority
Lakshya Sen delivered one of his strongest performances in recent months to defeat world No. 13 Toma Junior Popov. The Indian had faced tough challenges in the previous rounds, requiring three games to overcome Joakim Oldorff, Kiran George and Kalle Koljonen.

However, the semifinal proved a different story as Lakshya displayed greater control, strong defensive skills and effective attacking play.

The first game was closely fought before Lakshya created an advantage through his opponent’s unforced errors. Popov attempted to make a comeback towards the end, reducing the gap to 17-15, but the Indian remained composed and claimed the game 21-17.

Lakshya made an energetic start to the second game, opening up a 4-1 lead. Although Popov managed to draw level at 4-4, the Indian soon regained control with powerful smashes and accurate shot placement.

Lakshya extended his advantage to 14-7 and maintained the pressure throughout the remainder of the contest. He eventually converted his third match point to register a convincing 21-13 victory.

Lakshya eyes second Hylo Open title
The win has taken Lakshya into his second final of the season after his runner-up finish at the All England Open in March. The Indian will now have an opportunity to turn his strong performance in Germany into another tournament triumph.

Lakshya is no stranger to success at the Hylo Open, having won the competition in 2019. He will be keen to repeat that achievement when he steps onto the court for Sunday’s final.

With Sindhu and Lakshya both in contention for the championship, India now have an opportunity to secure a memorable double title at the German tournament.