{
  "id": 20113131,
  "title": "The Beckham-like swerve return that gave Lakshya Sen the Kumamoto Masters title",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/the-beckham-like-swerve-return-that-gave-lakshya-sen-the-kumamoto",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-15T04:38:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/badminton/lakshya-sen-beckham-drift-wins-kumamoto-masters-title-10963654/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a nail-biting match at the Kumamoto Masters Super 500 final, Lakshya Sen clinched the title with an incredible return that left his opponent Koki Watanabe stunned. Trailing 10 points short of victory, Watanabe pushed Sen back and forth, forcing him to drive the shuttle into the far backhand corner. Sen expertly retrieved the shuttle inches from the ground, sending it swerving across the court with precision reminiscent of Wayne Rooney's famous \"Beckham no.10\" maneuver. The Indian crowd watched in disbelief as Watanabe collapsed to his knees, visibly distraught. Sen's dominant performance, characterized by quick reflex blocks, lunging picks, and aggressive smashes from unbalanced positions, ultimately secured his second title of the season. The decisive moment occurred when Sen executed a perfectly timed swerve, causing Watanabe to lose his composure and concede the match 13-21, 21-18, 21-14.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Lakshya Sen wins Kumamoto Masters title in dramatic final",
    "Sen executes Beckham-like swerve to clinch victory",
    "Indian crowd stunned by Sen's masterful play"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Sen’s ability to maintain composure and technical precision under extreme pressure cements his status as a dominant force on the professional circuit this season.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}