By Diptayan Hazra

New Delhi [India], November 23 (ANI): Former Danish shuttler Peter Gade heaped praise on India's Lakshya Sen after the young star clinched the Australia Open men's singles title, defeating Japan's Yushi Tanaka 21-15, 21-11 in a dominant final. The win marked Lakshya's first title of the 2025 BWF World Tour and a significant statement in his comeback season.

Reacting to Lakshya's triumph, Gade expressed his admiration for the Indian shuttler's resilience and determination.

'First of all I want to say congrats, I think it's really nice to see him back on the podium again, number one and I know it's been a tough time for him. We all know he has got the potential to do big things but it's been a bit up and down and he stayed in there and he kept fighting, him and his team, huge credit for him to coming through and I am sure this makes him believe for the future big events coming, also for the World Championships at home, that is possible,' Gade told ANI.

The Indian shuttler won USD 475,000 after winning the Australian Open Super 500 event in Sydney.

He was at his very best during the final against his counterpart. Sen outplayed the 26-year-old Tanaka in a 38-minute contest.

Facing Tanaka, who is the winner of two Super 300 titles this year at Orleans Masters and the US Open, the Indian shuttler displayed superb control, sharp reflexes, and brilliant placement to wrap up the contest without even dropping a single set.

Lakshya, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, had earlier won a Super 300 title at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024.

After winning the Canada Open in 2024, Sen had a challenging phase this year. The ace shuttler came close to clinching the Hong Kong Super 500 title in September, where he finished runner-up.

After winning the Australian Open 2025 men's singles event, Sen became only the second Indian shuttler to clinch a title in the ongoing BWF World Tour.

Speaking about the future of Indian badminton, Gade highlighted the importance of nurturing talent from the early stages.

'Well, I know that there are a lot of things going on and I know that there are so many players, I just want to motivate them, inspire them to invest and enjoy the game but at the same time believe that if the base is strong enough in the early ages they can go for really big things in future,' he said.

Gade also spoke about the mindset required to become a champion, pointing to India's strong legacy in the sport.

'I still think you have previous champions like Saina (Nehwal), like (PV) Sindhu, like Prakash (Padukone), you saw with the Thomas Cup (which India clinched in 2022), it is possible and so the Indian players need to believe but for me it's a lot about the base being strong enough. If the base is strong enough then we can aim for the things in the highest level, and they need to believe, in the mental side,' he added.

With India set to host the World Championships, Gade hoped the players would embrace the occasion with confidence.

'No matter they play at home, it's gonna be a big test, playing the World Championship at home. Hopefully they can see it as an advantage, and have a big support from the crowd, and also from the media side. I hope so, that it's not only the pressure, it's also their support,' Gade said.

New Delhi to host BWF World Championships 2026 as it will return to India after 17 years. (ANI)