Since main by a sport – after which some – in opposition to Viktor Axelsen within the semifinals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games, issues haven’t gone Lakshya Sen’s method. He misplaced 5 matches in a row from there, together with the 2 heartbreaks in Paris. On Wednesday in Shenzhen on the China Masters Tremendous 750, he lastly gained one other match on the tour. And it was Lakshya’s heartbreaker Lee Zii Jia in entrance, because the Indian prevailed 21-14, 13-21, 21-13 in an entertaining 57-minute conflict.
In a match that swung a method then the opposite, Lakshya began fantastically in a gap sport the place he pulled off some miraculous escape acts throughout rallies. Lee dominated the second sport to simply power the decider, however in Sport 3, Lakshya stored pulling away from 5-5 to finish a string of early exits on tour.
“Feels good to win a match after a extremely very long time,” Lakshya stated after the match. “Issues have been somewhat bit up and down publish the Olympics. I’m nonetheless attempting to get again to my full health. I took a break somewhat bit from the same old. Slowly getting again into the circuit. A few robust few (first-round exits) earlier than this occasion. However yeah, I’m pleased with the way in which I performed at present and simply caught in.”
Being successfully simply 21 factors away from assuring India a primary historic medal in males’s singles in opposition to Viktor Axelsen after which Lee, Lakshya didn’t convert his probabilities. He got here so near the rostrum, and nonetheless on the finish of it, it felt far. And after beating the Malaysian, he revealed it was nonetheless hurting him.
“It was a troublesome event. In a method, it gave me loads of positives as properly. I feel having come that shut, it nonetheless hurts a bit,” Lakshya stated. “I really feel it’s nonetheless going to harm for a while. I’m attempting to actually push myself to be a greater badminton participant general. I’m simply attempting to get again to my health, a couple of niggles right here and there, simply attempting to handle that. Making an attempt to construct myself actually robust in order that I can play the following season rather well.”
Given {that a} spot within the season-ending World Tour Finals is already out of the query, Lakshya stated he was simply hoping for few outcomes to shut out the yr, and his focus will instantly shift to increase for occasions like Malaysia Open and All England early subsequent yr.
