Text by BWF: Dev Sukumar |
The BWF World Championships 2026 continued to throw up big-name casualties, with 14th seed Lakshya Sen falling to world No.92 Garret Tan on a great day for Pan Am.
Tan, just 18, ranks No.7 on the World Junior rankings, but made light of the gulf in experience against the home favourite, as he dialled up his attacking game to leave Sen struggling throughout the match. Despite a nasty fall late in the third, Tan kept his composure to deal one of the upsets of the tournament and make his way into the Round of 16.
With compatriots Presley Smith/Jennie Gai and Canada’s Victor Lai and Michelle Li also winning their matches, Pan Am couldn’t have asked for a better day.
“I can’t believe I won,” said Tan. “The last couple of tournaments I had the same problem, I was leading and I lost. I didn’t want to think about losing, I just wanted to focus.
“I hit my head when I slid on the floor, and I couldn’t really see on the court. When I saw on the court, there was nothing to lose, so
“I just wanted to show the world that USA is not a weak country in badminton, because we have some good doubles players, and in singles we are catching up.
Michelle Li Survives
Indian teen Unnati Hooda very nearly derailed Michelle Li’s campaign before the 13th seeded Canadian survived the trial by fire to take her place in the Round of 16.
Hooda, playing her first World Championships, kept apace of Li in the closing stages despite playing from the difficult end. A body smash gave the Indian match point at 20-19, but Li played three immaculate points to take her place in the second round and keep alive her hopes of a first World Championships medal.
“Towards the end, I was on the better side, so it was about managing my own nerves and keeping the shuttle in. I got a little rushed and was making more errors, but it was about staying calm and taking one point at a time.
“In the end, the better side became the faster side, so it changed a little bit. I had to not think about that and still stay confident.
“A match like today, I’m happy I won but I have to do better to stay in control from the beginning. I was too slow in the beginning, so in the third game it was anybody’s game because it was too close.”
Smith/Gai Progress
Smith/Gai were the only USA pair remaining in the paired events, and the No.14 seeds didn’t blow the opportunity. Playing Brazil’s Fabricio Farias/Jaqueline Lima, Smith/Gai had it all their way, needing just 20 minutes to complete a 21-10 21-3 rout.
“Happy we were able to get the win today, but tomorrow’s match against France is pretty hard,” said Gai. “Against Thom and Delphine, we need to get to the bird because thy’re really quick and they have good skill, so we have to be at our best, but I’m excited because this is the first time we’re playing them.”
“We prepared well, we’d played them before, but this stage is different, it’s a lot slower. Off the bat, we went a 100 per cent and we outpaced them. We just kept the pressure,” said Smith.
