India, Oct. 31 -- Lakshya Sen is set to face France's Toma Junior Popov in the men's singles semifinals of the Hylo Open 2026 on Saturday, October 31. The seventh-seeded Indian booked his place in the last four after fighting back from a game down to beat Finland's Kalle Koljonen 14-21, 21-17, 21-13 in a 66-minute quarterfinal. The result takes Sen into his first individual BWF World Tour semifinal since March and gives him an opportunity to move closer to the title.

Standing in his way is sixth seed Popov, currently ranked 13th in the world, who reached the semifinals with a straight-games win over compatriot Arnaud Merkle, 21-14, 21-15. The Frenchman's physical approach and aggressive baseline play could test Sen's defensive skills and...