Lakshya Sen Advances to Pre-Quarters with Dominant Victory

Ace Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen delivered an outstanding performance by defeating Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21-18, 21-12 in the men’s singles Group L match at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Wednesday, securing a spot in the pre-quarters.

Lakshya’s victory over Christie came after a commanding 50-minute match at La Chapelle Arena. Sen dominated from the start, winning the first game 8-2 and capitalizing in the second to close out the match convincingly.

Earlier in the tournament, Lakshya Sen had also defeated Julien Carraggi of Belgium in the Group L men’s singles match on Monday, securing a straight-sets victory of 21-19, 21-14 in 43 minutes at the same venue. Sen overcame a four-point deficit to clinch the first game and was in full control during the second game against Carraggi.

Interestingly, Lakshya’s previous dominating win over Guatemala’s Kevin Cordon was “deleted” after Cordon withdrew from the event due to a left elbow injury. Consequently, Lakshya’s ranking in Group L is now based on his results against Christie and Carraggi.

Looking ahead, Lakshya Sen could face HS Prannoy in the Round of 16 match, with pre-quarterfinals set to begin on Thursday.

Sen’s consistent performance has placed him at the top of men’s singles Group L, and he continues to be a strong contender for India in the badminton events at the Paris Olympics.