New Delhi: After losing the India Open first round to Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei last week, Lakshya Sen had said that it “just wasn’t his day”. The worrying matter is that India’s top men’s singles shuttler hasn’t had many ‘good days’ since the Olympic Games.
Since Paris, the world No.12 has played in seven tournaments but only reached the business end twice as he went down in early rounds in five events. Sen had a decent outing at the China Masters in November, reaching the quarters. Though he broke a 17-month title drought by winning the Syed Modi India International last month, it is important to note that Sen was the top seed at the Lucknow event where he barely faced any top-level competition.
“Post the Olympics, he’s lost some very tough, close matches which he should’ve converted, something very similar to what happened at the Olympics. That similar thing continued for quite a few events i.e. being comfortably placed and then losing,” said Sen’s coach U Vimal Kumar.
“He needs to overcome how to deal with that particular situation. We have talked to him enough on that. He also knows but has to apply himself and get that thing done. Nobody else can. It’s only his hands, how the thought process happens and how he deals with it.”
Sen came close to medalling at the Olympics when he almost beat eventual champion Viktor Axelsen in the semis before the Dane pulled through. He had another chance in the bronze playoff when he was again ahead of Lee Zii Jia, but another meltdown helped the Malaysian grab the medal.
Sen’s team at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) have discussed with him to ‘get physically better’ so that the 23-year-old is confident while attacking or defending about his body and physique as conditions vary from one place to the other.
The Almora born is also regularly in touch with his mental health expert Gayatri Vartak, a former India shuttler, having also worked with renowned mental coach Paddy Upton before the Olympics.
“Malaysia Open (Round 1 loss) was a disappointment. He played the match without any interest. We had a talk with him. I told him that at your level you cannot afford to do that, not in the big tournaments,” said Vimal, who is also a national selector.
“I told him that when things go wrong, don’t get disheartened, just stick in there, keep at it, it will happen, because you’re good and have the experience, that you’ve dealt with such situations in the past also like in the beginning of last year.”
Sen was undergoing an extremely poor phase at the end of 2023 and early 2024 when he almost fell out of the Race to Paris. However, three solid tournaments in February-March of 2024 saw him qualify for the Olympics against all odds.
“This (situation) is also similar. I told him immediately after the Olympics that the heartbreak and pain he had, he’ll only be able to get rid by winning a big event, either the All England or World Championships which he’s capable of. That is the only thing that is going to give him relief,” added Vimal, who is the chief coach of PPBA.
“Because nobody can help him with that. He knows what needs to be done. He just has to be at it, convert the thinking process on court, needs to apply himself better. I always tell him that he played fearlessly, which was one of his strengths. To just enjoy playing tournaments even if things go wrong, how to wriggle out of it.”
With the burden of qualifying for the Olympics not there, Sen has a strong chance to returning to top form like he did in 2022 when he won the Commonwealth Games and India Open apart from reaching the finals of All England and German Open.
“That is what Lakshya has to do now. He is in good physical shape and has trained well. The more matches he plays, the better he starts playing. But to get that he has to get past (early) rounds,” said Vimal.
“That is something he needs to keep in mind and beat players who he is capable of beating. It is not easy, but he has to win matches. That is the only way. He needs to get it done on court. It is his initiative. Luckily for him, everybody is there to support him.”