Shuttler Lakshya Sen faced a crushing defeat in the men’s singles opening round at the Badminton Asia Championships, succumbing to a straight-game loss against local favourite and top seed Shi Yu Qi. Despite putting up a valiant effort, Sen couldn’t match the prowess of his higher-ranked Chinese counterpart.
Initially, Sen demonstrated remarkable skills, engaging Qi in lengthy rallies and executing precise shots to maintain a competitive edge. However, Qi’s strategic play and resilience enabled him to stage a remarkable comeback in the first game, ultimately securing victory.
Although Sen displayed tenacity in the second set, Qi’s dominance prevailed, leading to a comprehensive win for the Chinese shuttler. Despite Sen’s efforts to level the playing field, Qi’s superior skills ultimately sealed the match in his favour with a 2-0 (19-21, 15-21) scoreline.
Is Lakshya Sen’s Paris 2024 qualification in danger?
Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy have secured their spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking a significant milestone for Indian badminton. This marks the first time in two decades that India will be represented by two men’s singles players at the Olympics.
The Olympic regulations permit each country to have two players in the singles category if both rank within the top 16 in the Paris Rankings. Sen currently holds the 12th position with 64,021 points, while Prannoy sits at ninth with 74,897 points. While Sen’s qualification seems assured, his recent performances have raised concerns about his form leading up to the prestigious event.
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Sen’s form ahead of Paris 2024
Lakshya Sen’s prospects of Paris 2024 qualification did not appear great following nine first-round exits on the BWF World Tour. He lost in the first round of the season-opening Malaysia Open Super 1000 and India Open Super 750 before reaching the French Open Semi-Finals and losing to Kunlavut Vitidsam. Sen recently reached the semi-finals of the All England Badminton Championships in Birmingham but fell to Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie.
PV Sindhu moves to RO16
P. V. Sindhu, two-time Olympic medalist, rallied from behind to defeat Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in a close first-round match at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, on Wednesday. Sindhu beat World No. 33 Goh 18-21, 14-21, 19-21, completing the 64-minute match by clinching her fifth match point. She became the first Indian to get to the round of 16 in the current edition of the continental tournament. Sindhu, who earned a bronze medal in 2022, will face sixth-seeded Chinese Han Yue in the quarterfinals.
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