Paris Olympics: Lakshya Sen loses to Axelsen, to play against Lee Zii Jia for bronze

PARIS: Lakshya Sen lost to Denmark’s defending Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen 20-22, 14-21 in the men’s singles semifinal on Sunday. Lakshya will next face Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in the bronze medal match on Monday.

While Axelsen will take on Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the final.

The first game saw Lakshya gain the upper hand initially with 11-9 at the break. However, the two players engaged in long, intense rallies, with the drift in the arena playing a significant role. It occasionally disrupted Axelsen’s precision, allowing Lakshya to stay competitive.

Axelsen’s strategy revolved around enticing Lakshya into powerful smashes despite the Indian shuttler's smart play. Even with a five-point lead at 20-17, Axelsen bounced back and broke three-game points to take the first game 22-20.

In the second game, Lakshya quickly surged ahead to a 7-0 lead but true to his champion form, Axelsen clawed his way back, tying the game at 10-10. Lakshya managed to edge ahead by the break, leading 11-10.

However, Axelsen’s experience and resilience came to the fore as he unleashed a series of powerful attacks in the latter half of the game. Lakshya, despite his best efforts, couldn’t withstand the onslaught and the game slipped away, ending 21-14 in Axelsen’s favour.

Axelsen’s victory secured him a spot in the second successive Olympic singles final, where he will face Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Notably, the Danish maestro has yet to lose a game in Paris.

For Lakshya Sen, the journey doesn’t end here. On Monday, he will face Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match, a chance to end his Olympic campaign on a high note.