Paris: In a remarkable turn of events, Lakshya Sen triumphed over third seed Indonesian Jonatan Christie in his final Group L men’s singles match at the Paris Olympics. The young Indian shuttler secured his victory with scores of 21-18, 21-12, ensuring his place in the pre-quarterfinals.
Sen faced a challenging start, trailing 8-2 in the opening game. However, he demonstrated remarkable resilience, leveling the score at 10-all. The first game was tightly contested, with both players tied at 18-18 before Sen surged ahead to clinch the game 21-18.
The 22-year-old maintained his aggressive gameplay in the second game, effectively countering all attempts by the World No. 4 to regain control. Sen’s consistent performance led to a decisive 21-12 victory, securing his place in the next round.
With this win, Sen advances to the pre-quarterfinals, where he may face fellow Indian H.S. Prannoy, depending on the outcome of Prannoy’s match against Vietnamese shuttler Le Duc Phat later today.
Earlier, India’s medal hopeful in the women’s singles category, PV Sindhu, showcased her dominance by defeating Estonia’s Kristin Kuuba 21-5, 21-10. Sindhu’s victory secured her top spot in Group M and a berth in the Round of 16.