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With the Canada Open title under his belt, Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen will aim for double glory in consecutive weeks when he begins his campaign at the Yonex US Open 2023 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Wednesday (July 12). The Commonwealth Games gold medalist, seeded third at this Super 300 event, faces World No. 55 Kalle Koljonen in his opener.
It had been a rough year for the young Indian sensation until last week. He was struggling with low immunity and frequent sickness at the start of the season following his nose surgery last year. It affected his performances on the court, sending him packing early in several tournaments.
Lakshya Sen first showed signs of a comeback at the Thailand Open in June, where he made the semifinals. It all changed at the Canada Open, a Super 500 event held in Calgary.
With wins over Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Li Shi Feng and Kenta Nishimoto, who were then respectively ranked fourth, 10th and 11th, the Indian surged to his first title of the season.
The triumph would have sent Lakshya Sen's confidence level soaring and he will definitely be gunning to build on it in the USA this week.
Lakshya Sen vs Kalle Koljonen: Head-to-head and Prediction
Sen and Koljonen have never squared off on the tour before. Hence, their head-to-head currently remains tied at a 0-0 deadlock.
Koljonen is a 29-year-old shuttler representing Finland. The Helsinki-born player made history in 2021 when he became the first shuttler from his country to win a medal (bronze) at the European Championships.
The southpaw has two titles (2015 Hungarian International & 2016 Norwegian International) and eight runner-up finishes at the International Challenge/Series level.
There's evidently a wide gulf in the rankings and experience between the two players. With Sen being in spectacular form and having momentum behind him, he is expected to have a cakewalk in the first round.
US Open Badminton 2023, Lakshya Sen vs Kalle Koljonen: Date and time
Sen will square off against Koljonen in the men's singles first round at the Yonex US Open 2023 on Wednesday in the third match of the day on Court 3.
Date: July 12, 2023
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Time: Approx. 11.30 am local time; 10 pm IST
Venue: Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
US Open Badminton 2023, Lakshya Sen vs Kalle Koljonen: Where to watch & live streaming details
This US Open Badminton match won't be telecast live on any channel in India. It can, however, be live streamed on YouTube on BWF.TV. Live scores can also be followed on the tournament software.
