Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen battled his way into the summit clash of the Australian Open Super 500 with a gripping semifinal victory that lit up the Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday.

His triumph over Chinese Taipei’s seasoned campaigner Chou Tien Chen delivered the kind of drama and intensity that turns an ordinary Super 500 event into a spectacle worthy of the big screen.

Sen, ranked World No. 12 and still chasing his first title of the season, outlasted Chou in an 85 minute thriller that finished 17-21, 24-22, 21-16.

The match swung repeatedly, its momentum shaped by the tenacity of two shuttlers whose Olympic dreams may not have resulted in medals but whose rivalry continues to elevate the sport in the four years between Games.

Chou, 35, began with authority, racing to a 4-0 lead and entering the mid-game break of the opening set at 11-6. His experience and geometric precision set the tone as he controlled the pace and dictated the front court exchanges with his trademark shuttle control. Sen did not fade, err or fold, yet Chou’s mastery carried him to a 21-17 first game win.

Sen has long known that defence alone does not win matches, but it can buy precious time against a powerful and accurate opponent.

He used it to stay afloat, to tire Chou, and to push the encounter into a decider.

The turning point arrived in the second game when Sen stared at elimination while trailing 18-20. With extraordinary composure he saved both match points, forced errors from Chou and claimed the game 24-22 with a sequence of relentless retrieves and sharp counter-attacks.

The momentum carried into the deciding game where Sen seized control early.

He went into the break with an 11-6 lead, stretched it to 14-7 and benefited from a service fault by Chou that widened the gap to 17-9. Though the physical toll on both players was evident, Sen’s superior fitness helped him close out the match 21-16.

The victory makes Sen the lone Indian left in the tournament.

He had earlier powered past a determined Ayush Shetty in straight games to reach the semifinal on Friday.

Now just one step away from lifting the trophy, Sen prepares to face Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in Sunday’s final, looking to cap what has been a rollercoaster season with a defining win.