Lakshya Sen made history on Friday by becoming the first Indian to reach the men’s singles semifinals in badminton at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The unseeded 22-year-old achieved this milestone by defeating Chinese Taipei’s 12th seed, Chou Tien-chen, in a thrilling three-game match with scores of 19-21, 21-15, 21-12.

This historic feat surpasses the achievements of previous Indian shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and Parupalli Kashyap, who reached the quarterfinals in the Rio 2016 and London 2012 Olympics, respectively. Reflecting on his victory, Lakshya said, “This is something that I have been dreaming of, and it feels really good to be in the semifinals. There is a lot more work to do, and now is the real test. It starts from here, and now is the time to go back, recover, and be ready for the next match on Sunday.”

Ranked 22nd in the world, Lakshya demonstrated resilience and skill throughout the match. Despite an early lead by Chou Tien-chen, who neutralized Lakshya’s initial assault and won the first game 21-19, the Indian shuttler made a remarkable comeback in the second game. Lakshya kept pace with his opponent, led at halftime, and eventually secured an 18-13 lead to win 21-15, forcing a decider.

In the final game, Lakshya surged ahead with a 9-4 lead, capitalizing on Chou Tien-chen’s fatigue and a series of unforced errors. With eight match points in hand, Lakshya clinched the game 21-12, securing his place in the semifinals.

Earlier in the tournament, Lakshya defeated world No. 4 Jonatan Christie in his men’s singles group and fellow Indian shuttler HS Prannoy in the round of 16. He now faces Denmark’s reigning champion, Viktor Axelsen, in the semifinals on Sunday.

Stay tuned to Agartala Buzz for the latest updates on Lakshya Sen’s journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Don’t miss the excitement as this young sensation aims for Olympic glory!