Lakshya Sen in action during Paris Olympics 2024 Group L match. (Picture Credit: Screengrab)
Lakshya Sen defeated Indonesia’s Jonathan Christie 21-18, 21-12 to set up the Paris Olympics 2024 pre-quarterfinal match against India’s HS Prannoy on Thursday.
Star Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen was on fire on Wednesday (July 31) during his last Group L match against Indonesia’s Jonathan Christie. The 22-year-old Indian got the better of the world No. 4 badminton player by a margin of 21-18, 21-12 to book a place in the pre-quarterfinal against India’s HS Prannoy.
During his match against the higher-ranked opponent, Sen played some super shots that left the fans amazed. He stunned his Indonesian opponent with a ‘behind-the-back shot’ during the first game, the video of which went viral on social media. Taking note of the viral clip, industrialist Anand Mahindra asked his opponent Christie to file a suit against him.
In a tweet that is going viral on the internet, Mahindra said that the young shuttler might as well be an alien with three hands.
“If I was his opponent, I would cry foul & file a suit claiming that I was confronted by an unnatural opponent who possessed three arms…,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
If I was his opponent, I would cry foul & file a suit claiming that I was confronted by an unnatural opponent who possessed three arms…pic.twitter.com/4p5EsPNxyV
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 31, 2024
‘Happy with the way I played’
After getting the better of Christie, Sen expressed his happiness by saying, “I think it was a tough match today; happy with the way I played,” world number 22 Sen said.
“Yes, definitely (gold is in sight). I think the last few months the form has been really good. There has been ups and downs, but overall, I was in good shape in the last few months, and especially while playing here in the French Open, I found my momentum and form.
“I was just trying to build up for a good event, and I’m really pumped up to fight every match and every point.”
Before Wednesday’s match, the only time Sen had defeated Christie was four years ago at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, and he came into Wednesday’s match with a dismal 1-4 head-to-head count.
However, Sen showed great maturity and tactical acumen as he tried to keep the shuttle flat and targeted the weak forehand of Christie, who looked to slow down the rallies and used his cross-court shots at the corners to trouble the Indian, albeit without much success.
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