Lakshya Sen
Year – 2021
Month – December
Tournament – World Tour Finals
Opponent – Viktor Axelsen
Axelsen, the indomitable shuttler, had won the first game and taken a commanding lead in the second. Just that when Lakshya is one of the participants, it is better not to switch off the TV as you’re guaranteed of some thrilling action. And then, something magical happened right in front of your eyes. For a split second, it looked like Axelsen’s impressive drop shot had deceived his opponent. The Indian, though, is a livewire on a badminton court. He lunged forward, dived and retrieved it.
A relaxed-looking Axelsen countered it with a half-smash. You wondered whether that shot would turn out to be the difference between the two. In an imaginary sense, Lakshya said – Not yet. He ran towards the back-end of the court like a cheetah and somehow hit a winner. After zooming in on the replays, you were left gasping for breath.
His body was mostly facing the stands. Lakshya’s head turned towards Axelsen at the ‘nth’ moment, and with a flick of the wrists he generated enough power to land a believe-it-or-not winner. Preternatural reflexes, anticipation, agility and athleticism – A single photo frame captured the essence of what badminton is all about.
In fact, just do a thorough search via YouTube, and you might end up getting a collection of videos of Sen diving, lunging and running through forehand flanks. The exchange of rallies between him and Shi Yu Qi at 20-20 in the Asian Games last year is another such example.
The other day, he showcased more of his believe-it-or-not skill-set in the match against his bugbear on a badminton court, Jonatan Christie, and that too on the biggest stage, the Olympic Games.The match was nicely poised in the first game. Somewhere, you started to ponder whether his opponent would find the required gears. The pattern of play between the two from their past encounters suggested it.
Lakshya Sen in action (PC: RevSportz)
Lakshya, however, lifted his game in the grand colosseum of the Olympics, with his own brand of magic tricks. At 18-19, for a moment, Christie seemed to believe he had won the point. But a few seconds later, he was stunned into silence. In a flash, the 22-year-old whipped the racquet and retrieved the shuttle from behind his back. An astonished Christie could only put the shuttle out.
That was the very moment when Lakshya had perhaps turned the tide in his favour. He went on to not just win that game but also the match. After many years, when Lakshya hangs up his racquet, he might sit on a chair and reminisce about some fond memories from this encounter. After all, he had conquered the threat of one of his nemeses.
If you put your analytical cap on, Lakshya doesn’t come across as a typical Indian shuttler. Those natural gifts – the lightning speed of his legs and strong lungs – are of a quintessential South East Asian or a Chinese player. Maybe he got those gifts from his surroundings. It has to be remembered that he comes from Almora, a hill station in Uttarakhand. Almora is about 1642 meters above sea level. That has to be one of the secrets behind Lakshya’s skill-set being gift-wrapped with some special attributes.
The bigger question still remains unanswered. Can Lakshya clinch a coveted medal at the Olympics? Ever since Lakshya took a game off the legendary Lin Dan in 2018, yours truly has a gut feel that this maverick might one day scale the summit of badminton. It is pertinent to note that he has had his share of health problems: A deviated-septum condition haunted him for a period of time, and he even underwent a nose surgery. He seems to have put all those health issues behind him and is carving out the right path towards touching his peak.
Perhaps, this is the right time for Lakshya to grab his opportunity. His detractors would still point out that he is inconsistent, but a maverick would have that little bit of unpredictability in him. His skills, adroitness and flaws will be put to test against fellow Indian, HS Prannoy, in the second round.