It was all too easy for Lakshya Sen in the end. The 22-year-old eased past his tired compatriot HS Prannoy in straight games 21-12, 21-6 to progress to the men's singles quarter-finals of Paris Olympic Games 2024 on Thursday, August 1. (Highlights | Full Olympics Coverage)
Sen will next face Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen in the last-eight stage on Friday. He is only the third male player ever from India to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympics badminton competition. Parupalli Kashyap and Kidambi Srikanth had reached the quarter-finals in the London and Rio editions in 2012 and 2016, respectively.
The 22-year-old from Almora, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and a 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist, was in total control as he notched up a facile win over world no. 13 Prannoy in a 39-minute encounter.
Sen was solid in his defence and mixed up his attack nicely, while Prannoy, who had played a gruelling three-game match last evening, looked exhausted and could not show much resistance.
The loss signalled the end of Prannoy's campaign. The 32-year-old had recovered from a bout of chikungunya last month to compete at his maiden Olympics.
"I think having tough matches gives you confidence. I am now ready to go deep into the tournament. It will be a tricky match against Chou, I have to go and recover well and give my 100 %," Sen said after the match.
(With PTI inputs)
