Sourabh Verma ends teen Lakshya Sen's dream run

National badminton champions Rituparna Das and Sourabh Verma with their trophies in Patna yesterday. Pic/PTI

Patna: Sourabh Verma ended the dream run of 15-year-old World No. 1 junior Lakshya Sen in the men's singles final of the 81st Senior National badminton championships here yesterday with a 21-13, 21-12 win in the final.

Sen, had been on a giant-killing spree, having stunned Mumbai's Harshil Dani in the semi-finals, and was tipped to become the youngster senior national badminton champion.

Former All-England champion Prakash Padukone holds that distinction having won the junior and senior national titles at the age of 16. And while Sen clinched the junior national title at the age of 15, he just about stumbled at the final hurdle in the senior meet against an experienced campaigner in Verma.

Lakshya Sen

This defeat notwithstanding, Sen has a bright future ahead of him, and is backed by none other than Padukone himself given he trains at the badminton legend's academy in Bangalore.

Sen is coached by Saina Nehwal's coach and former national champion Vimal Kumar. Sen won won the bronze medal in the Asian Juniors in July last year besides pocketing the Wimbledon U-19 title and the Swiss Open junior crown in 2014.

Meanwhile, among women, 20-year-old Rituparna Das beat Reshma Karthik in straight games, 21-12, 21-14, to emerge national champion.