Facing the Olympic Champion: Lakshya Sen's Historic Quest for India's First Male Badminton Medal

Lakshya Sen has his sights set on creating history this Sunday afternoon as he faces Denmark's defending Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the men's singles semifinal. A win would make him India's first-ever male Olympic medallist in badminton.

Axelsen, the reigning gold standard in men's singles, has earned singles medals at the preceding two Olympics, with a Victory at the 2022 World Championships in Tokyo further decorating his illustrious career. His imposing credentials pose the stiffest challenge yet for Sen in a campaign that has been anything but easy.

Sen's journey to the semifinal has been an uphill battle, besting third seed Jonatan Christie in the group stage, and overpowering two higher-ranked players, HS Prannoy and Chou Tien Chen, in the first two knockout rounds. A well-deserved rest day now allows the 22-year-old to recharge ahead of the semifinal.

As a hopeful omen for superstitious followers, the two players who have previously defeated Chou Tien Chen in an Olympic quarterfinal went on to reach the final. Plus, the last time an Indian went head-to-head with Axelsen in a major event, HS Prannoy prevailed in the World Championship quarterfinal.

Axelsen does comport a 7-1 lead over Sen, with the majority of victories in his favor. But their encounter at the Singapore Open earlier this year ended in a fierce tussle, ultimately favoring Axelsen. Nevertheless, the match marked the onset of Sen's noticeable rise in form in 2024, suggesting a promising showdown in Paris.

Sen's lone triumph against Axelsen took place at the 2022 German Open, a thrilling match that he clinched 22-20 in the third game. Even though it was two years ago, the win serves as a confidence boost for Sen, proving Axelsen is not an insurmountable opponent.

In addition, 2024 has seen Axelsen less invincible than before, suffering surprising defeats and nursing injury worries. Sen could take confidence in Axelsen's recent defeats at the hands of unexpected adversaries.

As for Axelsen, his command over versatile shot-making has been a nightmare for his opponents. His ability to swap between fast net exchanges, drop shots, and deep court smashes show his outstanding adaptability to read an opponent and shift strategies on the go.

However, Sen's balanced defensive and offensive gameplay against Chou could be the blueprint to overcome Axelsen. As both players gear up for the critical face-off, the world will be watching if history will be authored on the badminton court.