Paris 2024: As Lakshya Sen reaches quarterfinals, who is he facing next and what kind of match to expect?

If Lakshya Sen’s win over Jonatan Christie produced moments of brilliance from the Indian youngster, some of which went viral, his contest with HS Prannoy was on the other side of the spectrum.

Up against his Thomas Cup teammate, and a roommate often on tour, Lakshya didn’t need to come up with Matrix-level behind-the-back shots or crazy retrievals from tight corners. Solidity was enough. He led from the first point to the last in the opening game that he took 21-12. At the start of the second, 1-0 was the only lead Prannoy would hold all afternoon, as it became increasingly evident that Lakshya was going to canter home. It was 21-5 in the end, and the lack of any sort of celebration from Lakshya summed up the sombre mood of the match.

It wasn’t ideal for anyone concerned. Prannoy or Lakshya certainly didn’t want to be playing each other at the biggest tournament of their lives. As a spectacle for a badminton neutral too, it wasn’t anything to write home about. Prannoy, evidently still not at peak physical fitness after a recent bout of chikungunya hampered his lead-up to Paris, was a shell of his roaring, diving, rallying self. The man known as The Beast, wasn’t at his best.

SEN PREVAILS IN THE ALL 🇮🇳 BATTLE!

Watch the highlights of the match here 👇https://t.co/MWpMHOdjRt

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Who is Lakshya up against now?

Up next for Lakshya could well have been a familiar face. From 2018’s junior batch, four youngsters have transitioned brilliantly to the senior circuit: Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Lakshya, Li Shi Feng and Kodai Naraoka. And the draw had pitted Lakshya on a collision course with Japan’s Naraoka. Instead though, on Friday, the Indian will be up against Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. From a potential Class of 2018 reunion, it’s a meeting with a much older, cannier alumni.

They don’t get any grittier than Chou. The 34-year-old has been a near-constant presence on the tour for years now, reaching as high as World No. 2 in 2022. In April 2023, before the Badminton Asia Championships, colorectal cancer was detected but fortunately enough, the required surgery was a minor procedure.

“I was training with Viktor (Axelsen), and before that I did a physical check. When they did a more detailed check, it was cancer,” Chou would reveal to the BWF in February this year after winning the Thailand Masters title. “When we got the news, it was a shock. I was playing the Asian Championships at the time. I always eat well and sleep well, so we don’t know why it happened.”

Like Lakshya, Chou too is a bronze medallist at the World Championships. Like Lakshya and India in 2022 (gold), Chou too was part of a special Thomas Cup run in 2024 (bronze), leading his country to uncharted territory. Like Lakshya, Chou too loves a good rally and is a tough man to break down in defence.

A match for the ages in Paris! 🏸

Catch Lakshya Sen take on HS Prannoy at #Paris2024, LIVE on #Sports18 & streaming FREE on #JioCinema 👈#Cheer4Bharat #OlympicsonJioCinema #OlympicsonSports18 pic.twitter.com/jBX2JylaqD

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What kind of match to expect?

Lakshya has played Chou four times, and won one of those matches: at the All England Open in 2023, when he produced one of his more impressive performances that year before injuries and illnesses started to pull him down. In fact, in their previous four meetings, that is the only occasion when the match was decided in two games. Every other contest has gone the distance.

That sums up Chou, who is known for playing plenty of three-game matches on tour. It means Lakshya’s fitness will have to be at an optimum level because his opponent knows a thing or two about lasting the distance. Lakshya has already shown in Paris that he has a good handle on conditions, and will hope his pace variations can keep Chou under check. Obviously, the 12 years separating the two shuttlers could be a factor that helps Lakshya, who has been training hard on his endurance in the build-up to Paris.

But Chou is a survivor, at times a warrior, who is chasing a dream late in his career. “You keep playing because you have a dream, right? Olympics is always our dream,” Chou had said.

But for Lakshya, the mission would be to ensure he carries forward India’s dream of becoming the first male shuttler to win a medal at the Olympics. His opponent on Thursday, Prannoy, had a simple message for him: don’t forget to enjoy the moment.

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