Birmingham, March 7 -- Lakshya Sen became only the second Indian player to reach two All England finals when he overcame Canada's Victor Lai in a gruelling semifinal here on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, who had also reached the summit clash in 2022, not only overcame a spirited Lai but also blisters in his right toe to win 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 in an hour and 37 minutes.

Sen's mentor, Prakash Padukone, had reached the All England final in 1980 and 1981 and won the title in his first appearance in the summit clash, according to a release.

The semifinal clash on Saturday between Sen and Lai tested the physical endurance of both players as they engaged in multiple rallies that went beyond 50 strokes.

It was Sen's ability to find an extra gea...