NEW DELHI, Aug. 25 -- With nine exits before quarter-finals in 11 events, it has been a forgettable 2025 for Lakshya Sen. The India No.1 has just failed to hit top form, even failing to reach the Macau Open final where he was the top ranked. However, the world No.21 often does well against the best players at the big stage. The 24-year-old must do exactly that at the BWF World Championships as he runs into China's world No.1 Shi Yu Qi in Monday's opener. With Viktor Axelsen injured, this is Shi's best chance to emerge champion, coming after a brilliant first half of 2025 that saw him win the Malaysia Open, All England Open, Japan Open and China Open. Shi holds a 3-1 record against Lakshya, but has never had it easy against the Indian, who took him the distance at the Indonesia Open in March in their last meeting. Sen, who has been training in Paris for the last 10 days at the French national centre (INSEP), will enter the Adidas Arena where he missed an Olympic medal twice last year, losing to Axelsen, the eventual gold medallist, in the semi-finals and then the bronze playoff to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia. "In the beginning it was tough to even remember it. But over time I've realised that there were a lot of positives from that campaign. Now I try to find the few good things out of that and try and remember it in a better way that helps me become stronger mentally," said Lakshya. This year, Lakshya has lost 11 of his 19 matches, losing seven of them in the first round and twice in the second. He reached just one quarter-final (All England) and semi-final (Macau Open) each. The other Indian in men's singles, HS Prannoy, was the only Indian to medal (bronze) in the last edition in 2023. The former world No.6 has dropped to world No.34 due to multiple health issues. He faces Finn Jaokim Oldorff in the opener. If he wins, he is likely face world No.2 Anders Antonsen of Denmark. India's most successful woman athlete, PV Sindhu is a pale shadow of her peak. The 2019 champion has been drawn against Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova. The 15th seed is expected to make the third round and likely face China's world No.2 Wang Zhi Yi. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will be India's brightest hopes. Paris has been a happy hunting ground for the ninth seeds, who won the French Open in 2022 and 2024. India have fielded two pairs in women's - Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra and Rutaparna Panda/Swetaparna Panda - and mixed doubles - Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto and Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde. Since 2011, Indian players have won at least one medal at the Worlds, but could Paris halt this run is the concern....