India's dream of a first-ever Olympic gold in badminton will remain unfulfilled after Lakshya Sen suffered a straight-game defeat to reigning champion Viktor Axelsen in the men's singles semifinals at the Paris Games here on Sunday.
Sen's Fight for Bronze
It was Sen's eighth loss to the Danish star with the Indian beating him only once at the 2022 German Open final.
"If I would have closed the first game, then I would have had better chance of closing the match. In the second game also, I started well but couldn't keep the lead," Sen told the broadcaster after the contest.
About losing the first game after being 20-17 ahead, Sen said "As the game went on, he started attacking more and I became passive, only defending. I should have taken chances and attacked more."
Axelsen's Dominance
Of all his previous losses, this will hurt Sen the most as he had the chance to deal the first blow on his fancied opponent, but instead, he wilted under pressure against the towering Dane, who always found a way to wriggle out of tricky situations.
Axelsen's delaying tactics while serving also unsettled Sen a bit.
Sen's Struggles
Sen struggled with the length, spraying wide and long to concede a 2-5 lead early on. He drew parity with a cross-court shot and then tried to construct the rallies. His trademark cross-court smashes deep into his opponent's forehand helped him to lead 8-7 at one stage.
The Indian kept the pressure on Axelsen and another fine cross-court and an on-the-line return gave him a two-point advantage.
Sen's patient play worked as Axelsen made a series of unforced errors to concede a 9-15 lead.
Axelsen won two good rallies, including one involving 43 shots. Soon, Sen moved to 17-11, but Axelsen then started dominating proceedings and rained down a monstrous forehand to narrow the lead down to 16-18.
Sen left his opponent wrong-footed with an away shot and then produced another incredible cross-court to gather three game points.
But the youngster imploded next as he lost all three of them after serving into net and going long twice. Sen sent a return to serve out and netted again to hand over the opening game to his rival.
The Turning Point
Sen recovered quickly from the opening game reversal to zoom to a 7-0 lead after the change of sides but he flattered to deceive, as Axelsen scripted a stunning fightback.
The Indian looked too defensive and committed a series of unforced errors as the Dane made it 7-8 after nailing down another forehand smash.
At 10-7, Sen lost his racquet while defending a smash from Axelsen, who was back on level terms with another thundering smash. The Indian, however, managed a one-point advantage at the break, when the Dane erred.
Sen tried to up his game but Axelsen was alert and looked in good flow as he moved to 15-12 with his opponent missing the lines too often.
Axelsen looked in complete control as he rained down those forehand smashes at will to move to 19-14. A flat exchange ended at the net from Sen and it was six match points for the Dane, who sealed it when the Indian went wide again.
A Look Back at India's Olympic Hopes
Despite the disappointment, Lakshya Sen's journey to the semifinals was a remarkable feat. He had to overcome tough opponents, including Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen, who had battled and overcome early-stage colorectal cancer to reach the quarterfinals. Chou's story is an inspiration to many, demonstrating the resilience of the human spirit and the power of overcoming adversity.
Sen's performance in the Paris Olympics is a testament to his dedication and talent. Even though he couldn't secure the gold, he has left an indelible mark on the badminton world and has undoubtedly inspired a new generation of Indian badminton players.
As he heads into the bronze medal playoff, India will be rooting for him to secure a podium finish and bring home an Olympic medal for the nation. It will be a fitting end to a remarkable journey for a player who has captured the hearts of millions of fans across the country.
