Our Bureau
Paris
Lakshya Sen is poised for a historic showdown against reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the semifinals of the men’s badminton singles at the Paris Olympics on August 4. This matchup marks a significant moment for Sen, as he aims to become the first Indian male shuttler to secure an Olympic medal.
Sen’s journey to the semifinals has been nothing short of remarkable. He made headlines on August 2 by defeating 12th seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in a thrilling comeback, winning the match 19-21, 21-15, 21-12. This victory not only solidified his place in the semifinals but also made him the only remaining hope for India in badminton after the exits of prominent players like PV Sindhu and the Satwik-Chirag duo.
The upcoming match against Axelsen is particularly noteworthy, as the two players share a history that adds an intriguing layer to their rivalry. Sen has previously trained with Axelsen in Dubai, gaining valuable insights from the former World No. 1. His coach, Vimal Kumar, noted that Sen learned a great deal from Axelsen’s intense training sessions and professional approach, which could play a crucial role as he prepares for this high-stakes encounter.
However, Sen faces a daunting challenge. Axelsen has been in formidable form throughout the tournament, winning all his matches convincingly. He began his Olympic campaign with a dominant 21-8, 21-6 victory over Prince Dahal of Nepal and continued to showcase his prowess with wins against Misha Zilberman of Israel and Nhat Nguyen of Ireland. In the quarterfinals, Axelsen defeated Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-9, 21-17, further establishing himself as a top contender for the gold medal.
In terms of head-to-head statistics, Axelsen holds a significant advantage, having won seven out of their eight previous encounters. Sen’s only victory over the Danish star came in the 2022 German Open semifinals, where he triumphed in a nail-biting match. Despite the odds, Sen’s recent performances against top-ranked opponents, including world No. 3 Jonatan Christie, demonstrate his potential to upset the rankings.
The semifinal clash is set to begin at 3:30 PM IST on August 4 and will be broadcast live on Sports18 channels and the JioCinema app. With the stakes higher than ever, all eyes will be on Lakshya Sen as he seeks to carve his name into Olympic history.
