Breaking New Ground

Jayce September 6, 2024 4 0

India’s first Olympic men’s singles semifinalist has arrived, and his name is Lakshya Sen.

“This is something I have always dreamed of, and it feels great to be here,” said the 22-year-old after a hard-fought quarterfinal battle against Chou Tien Chen.

“There’s still a lot of work to do; the real test starts from here. It’s time to go back, recover, and prepare for the next match.”

Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen will be the first Indian men’s singles medalist, having increased his aggression from the start in his match against Lu Guangzu and never let up.

In the top half of the draw, the clash is between World Champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Lee Zii Jia.

Vitidsarn delivered one of the few upsets for China in this Olympics. The Thai player gave a textbook performance against Shi Yuqi, leaving the top seed with little room to maneuver. Vitidsarn’s defense and control were exemplary, leading 11-1 in the second game before China managed to claw back some points.

Shi Yuqi’s defeat marks the first time in two decades that China will miss out on a men’s singles medal.

The eliminated top seed, who had been in great form leading up to the Olympics, paid tribute to his opponent:

“My opponent played very well, and I had few answers throughout the match. I was always trying to catch up, which was very challenging.

“I made a lot of mistakes. Not only was the audience surprised, but I was also surprised myself. I barely showed any of my level on the court.

“This Olympics was very important to me. I put in a lot of effort and time. I also went through some tough moments. I wanted to play well, but failing to do so is really painful, but I have to accept this reality.”