Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
India’s hopes for its first-ever Olympic badminton gold were dashed on Sunday as 22-year-old Lakshya Sen faced a tough defeat against Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen. Despite his valiant efforts, Sen fell to the reigning champion with scores of 20-22, 14-21. However, the young Indian shuttler still has a chance to make history by securing a men’s singles medal when he faces Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match
Sen’s performance against Axelsen was marked by towering intensity and long rallies, particularly in the first game. The match began with Axelsen taking an early lead, but Sen soon adapted his gameplay, transitioning from being aggressive on the outset to showing patience and precision in engaging long rallies.
Despite Axelsen’s uncharacteristic unforced errors, the Danish champion showcased his resilience; Sen held a 20-17 lead, but Axelsen staged a remarkable comeback, saving three game points to win 22-20.
The second game saw Sen start strong, racing to a 7-0 lead as Axelsen struggled to find his rhythm. Yet, the Danish shuttler, known for his mental fortitude, mounted another impressive comeback. With a combination of solid defence, drop shots, and high smashes, Axelsen levelled the score at 10-10. Despite Sen’s mid-game advantage, Axelsen eventually wore down the Indian shuttler, securing the game 21-14 and clinching his place in the Olympic final for the second time.
Axelsen’s victory highlighted his experience and mental toughness, proving why he is a dominant force in the BWF circuit.
Sen’s Olympic journey is not over yet; he has the opportunity to secure India’s first men’s singles medal in badminton when he faces Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match on Monday. His match takes place at 6PM IST. Sen has a chance to become the third Indian Olympic medallist in badminton after PV Sindhu (silver in Rio 2016, bronze in Tokyo 2020) and Saina Nehwal (bronze in London 2012).
Axelsen, meanwhile, will face Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, who defeated Jia in straight games, too (21-14, 21-15). Interestingly, Vitidsarn has earlier defeated Axelsen in last year’s India Open final, clinching a 22-20, 10-21, 21-12 win in a three-game thriller in New Delhi.
