Lakshya Sen produced a superlative performance against the world number four and third seed Jonatan Christie to storm into the Paris Olympics round of 16. Catch the highlights of the Sen vs Christie, men's singles match right here
The pivotal Group L encounter between Lakshya Sen and Jonatan Christie will start on or after 1:40pm IST, depending on when the previous match on court ends. His compatriot PV Sindhu will soon be in action for her Group M match. In our blog here, you can check out live updates from that match.
Before Sen's match starts, Court 1 is witnessing a clash between PV Sindhu and Kristin Kuuba. Sindhu has raced away to an 8-0 lead in the first game.
Sindhu is coasting through her final Group M match. She took the first game 21-5 and leads 13-6 in the second. A win here assures her of a round of 16 spot.
PV Sindhu makes light work of her Group M match against Estonia's Kristin Kuuba. The Indian wins 21-5, 21-10 to sail into the pre-quarter-finals of the women's singles competition. She will next face China's He Bingjiao in the knock-out match.
And soon after Sindhu's match gets over, Sen and Christie are out on Court 1 for their blockbuster clash. All set for the match to begin.
The Indonesian starts the high-stakes match in right earnest. Wins a keenly contested rally off the second point and opens up a four-point lead. Sen up against it.
The head-to-head record is stacked in Christie's favour too. Sen has lost the previous four face-offs in three games and trails 1-4 in the match-up.
Sen finishes off the longest rally of the match so far with a smartly-placed kill shot. He has his back against the wall, but Lakshya won't go down without a fight.
The Indian now trying to claw his way back. He is now playing flat rallies, keeping the shuttles low. Brings the deficit down to one point.
Lakshya takes the lead for the first time in the match, winning seven straight points to script a remarkable comeback. Christie wins the next point to bring the first game back on level terms.
Sen goes into the mid-game interval in the lead, courtesy a thunderous cross-court smash. Absolutely riveting encounter so far, and the Indian is slowly coming into his own. Let's see how the Indonesian responds.
The Indian resumes well post interval, drawing some uncharacteristic errors from Christie. And the Indonesian counters with a smart finish to a long rally. This one looks like going right down to the wire.
A series of deep-court tosses results in the 22-year-old Indian winning the point and wresting back the lead, though by just one point.
Another long-drawn rally, and this time Christie wins it with a superb smash into Sen's backhand. The Indian dives full stretch but is unable to send the shuttle back over the net. Exhilarating stuff.
The Indonesian now back in ascendancy in Game 1, but Sen executes a down-the-line kill to perfection to stay in the hunt.
Sen wins a sensational point to set up two game points, and converts the first one to surge ahead in the match. He wins the first game with a 21-18 margin.
And the Indian has surged to a three-point lead in the second game too. Sen seems to have raised his game admirably after being down 2-8 in the opener. He is now in with a strong chance to pip the world number 4 for a place in the round of 16.
Some fabulous retrieving from Lakshya, but the Indonesian is unrelenting and finishes off the point with a well-directed smash. Sen still with a four-point lead.
The man from Almora heads into the mid-game interval of Game 2 in the ascendancy, and is now well and truly ahead in the match.
Christie sends one back over Lakshya's head to win a tight point. The Indonesian will not go down without an almighty fight. Sen still with the lead in the game as well as match.
A net cord goes in Sen's favour as he opens up a five-point lead again with Game 2 at a crucial stage. The Indian is arguably playing the best badminton he has in the last six months.
Four points away from a brilliant win, is Lakshya. Can he do it?
An unforced error from Christie, and the lead stretches to eight points in Game 2. The match is Sen's for the taking now.
Eight match points for the Indian!
He has done it! Lakshya pulls off a 'Sen-sational' win to vanquish the reigning All England and Asian champion and storm into the round of 16. A victory that he will remember for a very long time.
Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist HS Prannoy will no doubt take inspiration from compatriot Lakshya Sen's incredible win. Prannoy will take the court around 11pm IST today (depending on when previous matches end). He will face Vietnam's Le Duc Phat in Group K, with an eye on sealing his round of 16 berth. Guess who will Prannoy face if he does go through? It's his teammate Sen.
PV Sindhu began the day on a rousing note for Indian badminton, as she registered a thumping 21-5, 21-10 win over Estonia's Kristin Kuuba. She entered the women's singles round of 16, and so did Lakshya Sen on the men's side, defeating the higher-ranked and fancied Jonatan Christie from Indonesia 21-18, 21-12 to progress. HS Prannoy's group K match against Vietnam's Le Duc Phat will follow at around 11pm, and the Asian Games medallist would want to make it a perfect day for India in the shuttlers' arena.
Our coverage of Sen's sensational match ends here, but live updates continue from other Olympic events with Indian interest. Stay with us.