Lakshya Sen has made history by becoming the first Indian male shuttler to reach the semifinals of the Olympic Games. However, he faces a tough challenge as he goes up against Denmark's Viktor Axelsen, who has a dominating record and is the defending Olympic champion. With only one victory against Axelsen in their eight previous meetings, Sen will have to give his all to secure a spot in the finals and keep his hopes alive for an Olympic gold. Follow our senior reporter Mihir Vasavda for live updates on this highly anticipated match.
Lakshya Sen: India's Rising Star in Badminton
Lakshya Sen, a 20-year-old Indian badminton player, has etched his name in history as the first Indian male shuttler to reach the semifinals of the Olympic Games. His remarkable achievement came after he stunned world number three Kidambi Srikanth in the quarterfinals, marking a significant milestone in Indian badminton.
Early Life and Career
Born on August 16, 2001, in Almora, Uttarakhand, Sen began playing badminton at the tender age of five. Trained by his father, D.K. Sen, a former national badminton champion, Lakshya quickly demonstrated exceptional talent.
In 2016, at the age of 15, Sen won the Asian Junior Championships in the under-15 category. He followed this up with victories in the Asian Junior Championships (under-17) in 2017 and 2018.
International Success
Sen's international breakthrough came in 2019 when he won the BWF World Junior Championships. He also made his debut in the BWF World Tour Super 500 Finals, where he reached the semifinals.
In 2021, Sen achieved remarkable success on the BWF World Tour, winning the Dutch Open and the Belgian Open. He also reached the semifinals of the All England Open, becoming the second Indian male after Prakash Padukone to do so.
Road to the Olympics
Sen secured his place in the Tokyo Olympics by winning the Asian Badminton Championship in 2021, a silver medal at the Asian Games in 2018, and a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
In the Tokyo Olympics, Sen started his campaign with a dominating performance, winning all three of his group stage matches. He then defeated world number seven Anders Antonsen of Denmark and world number one Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Who is Lakshya Sen's coach? Lakshya Sen is coached by his father, D.K. Sen, and former India coach Vimal Kumar.
2. What is Sen's world ranking? As of August 2021, Lakshya Sen is ranked 10th in the world by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
3. Who is Lakshya Sen's biggest rival? Sen's biggest rival is Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, whom he has faced eight times with only one victory.
4. What is Lakshya Sen's biggest achievement? Sen's biggest achievement to date is reaching the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Indian male shuttler to do so.
5. What is Lakshya Sen's potential for the future? With his exceptional talent and determination, Lakshya Sen has the potential to become one of the greatest badminton players in the world and inspire future generations of Indian athletes.
After expressing his wish to leave Mumbai for Goa, Yashasvi Jaiswal's shocking move has caused a stir. While the 23-year-old cites new opportunities as the reason for his departure, reports claim that constant scrutiny, a tense relationship with Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane, and criticism from the team management may have been the driving forces. Jaiswal's decision has sparked controversy in the cricketing community.
The Golden State Warriors secured their spot in the NBA playoffs with a 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Tuesday's play-in tournament game. Stephen Curry had another electrifying performance with 36 points, while Jimmy Butler added 38 points to help overcome strong showings from the Grizzlies' Desmond Bane and Ja Morant. Despite the Warriors' star power and home court advantage, the scrappy Grizzlies never backed down and made it a close game until the final seconds. This thrilling matchup sparked a frenzy on social media and solidified the Warriors' reputation as a formidable playoff contender.
Despite a valiant comeback attempt from Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona was able to hold on and advance to the Champions League semi-finals thanks to a dominant first leg performance. Serhou Guirassy's hat-trick in the second leg was not enough for Dortmund, as they fell just short of completing an incredible comeback. Barcelona's first-leg demolition proved to be the deciding factor in the end, as they move on to the semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
In a high-stakes match between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, PBKS emerged victorious with a 16-run lead as KKR's weak batting line-up failed to chase down the low score of 112 runs. PBKS's Yuzvendra Chahal proved to be the game-changer with his four-wicket spell, while KKR's Andre Russell's late efforts were not enough to save the team from defeat. With this win, PBKS moves to fourth position in the table, while KKR slips to sixth with four losses in seven games.
After his victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, McLaren's Oscar Piastri has surpassed his teammate Lando Norris as the betting favorite for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. Despite being the underdog according to British bookmakers before the season started, the young Australian has shown impressive form and taken the championship lead, making him the man to beat for the title. With the help of Sky Sports F1 this weekend, fans can catch all the thrilling action of the Saudi Arabian GP and see if Piastri can maintain his position as the top contender.
In a crucial IPL match between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Chennai Super Kings, captain Rishabh Pant's decision to not give spinner Ravi Bishnoi another over backfired as Dhoni led CSK to victory. With Shivam Dube struggling against spin and Dhoni's proven ability against pace, Bishnoi's fourth over was crucial. However, Pant opted for pacers Avesh Khan and Shardul Thakur, who were ultimately unable to stop Dhoni's onslaught. Bishnoi defended his captain's decision, but it proved to be a costly mistake as CSK emerged victorious.
In a much-needed win for Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube's partnership led them to a five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League. After LSG's Rishabh Pant had returned to form with a half-century, CSK had to chase down 167 runs, which they successfully achieved with three balls to spare thanks to Dhoni (26 not out off 11 balls) and Dube (43 not out off 37 balls). Despite the efforts of LSG's bowlers, including Ravi Bishnoi's crucial dismissals, CSK's opening pair of Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra set the foundation for the win with a 52-run stand. However, it was Dhoni's late innings heroics that landed CSK the win and ended their five-match losing streak.
After five successive losses, Chennai Super Kings finally get a win in IPL 2025 as they defeat the hosts Lucknow by chasing down a total of 166 in the final over. The opener Khaleel Ahmed sets the tone for the game by taking early wickets which restricts Lucknow's start. Despite dropping R Ashwin and relying on the spin duo of Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj, it is Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni's partnership that ultimately leads to Chennai's victory. Dube scores the winning boundary off the third ball of the final over, highlighting his impact in the match.
Karun Nair made a stunning comeback to the IPL after three years, smashing a 40-ball 89 against the Mumbai Indians. His incredible strokeplay included taking on ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who himself got frustrated and engaged in a verbal spat with Nair. Eventually, it was Mumbai who emerged victorious by 12 runs but Nair's brilliant knock gave Delhi Capitals a fighting chance.
Young and promising batsman Shaik Rasheed has been handed his debut cap by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for their match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025 season. This comes as a surprise since CSK is known for sticking to experienced players, but with a succession of poor performances, the team has opted for a youth-focused strategy. Rasheed's impressive domestic form and consistent run-scoring have earned him this opportunity to shine in the big league.