Lakshya Sen creates history at Paris 2024 Olympics, becomes first Indian to reach men’s singles semi-finals

In a landmark achievement for Indian badminton, Lakshya Sen has made history by becoming the first Indian player to reach the men’s singles semi-finals at the Summer Olympics. This historic feat was accomplished during the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Sen battled his way through a tough three-game encounter to defeat the Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist, Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei.

Historic Victory in Paris

On Friday, Lakshya Sen, who entered the tournament unseeded, overcame the 12th-seeded Chou Tien-chen in a gripping match that ended with scores of 19-21, 21-15, 21-12. This victory marks a significant milestone in Indian badminton history, as no Indian player had previously advanced to the men’s singles semi-finals at the Olympics. Prior to this, Parupalli Kashyap and Kidambi Srikanth had reached the quarter-finals at London 2012 and Rio 2016, respectively.

Sen’s performance in Paris was nothing short of extraordinary. Despite trailing initially, he managed to reverse the game’s momentum. Chou Tien-chen, ranked 11th in the world, took an early lead, but Lakshya Sen’s resilience shone through as he fought back to win the second game and ultimately the deciding set.

Match Breakdown

In the opening game, Chou Tien-chen took an early 5-2 lead, leveraging his experience and skill to maintain an advantage. Although Lakshya Sen displayed moments of brilliance, he could not prevent Chou from winning the first game 21-19.

The second game saw a fierce contest, with Sen gaining a narrow lead at the interval and then pushing forward to win 21-15. In the final game, Sen’s relentless drive and strategic play paid off as he surged to a 9-4 lead. Chou’s fatigue led to a series of unforced errors, which allowed Sen to secure the match with a score of 21-12.

Sen’s Journey to the Semi-Finals

Lakshya Sen’s remarkable journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics includes victories over top-ranked players. He topped his group, which included a win against world No. 4 Jonatan Christie and later defeated fellow Indian player HS Prannoy in the round of 16. This performance has cemented his status as one of the top contenders in the men’s singles category.

Sen’s next challenge will be against the winner of the quarter-final match between Victor Axelsen of Denmark and 10th-seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore. The semi-final clash will be crucial as Sen aims to continue his historic run at the Summer Games.