India shuttler Lakshya Sen on Monday said he “gave it all” during his maiden final against Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen at the All England Championship on Sunday.
The 20-year-old has been simply sensational en route to his final appearance at Birmingham but he couldn’t go the distance, going down in straight games to world No.1 Axelsen.
“It’s been a long journey for me from Almora to the All England Open. I gave it my all on the court in the final yesterday vs Viktor but it wasn’t meant to be,” Sen wrote in a post shared on his Twitter handle.
“For me, getting the chance to represent my country means everything. I am living my dream and I will always give my 100 per cent on court.
“I am overwhelmed and humbled with all the love and support I have received from so many fans in India and all over the world and just wanted to say a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone,” Sen wrote. “I wish to thank BAI and SAI for their support to me. I can’t forget my parents and brother Chirag who have sacrificed so much for me.
“I owe everything to Prakash sir and Vimal sir and (Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy) PPBA who have mentored me throughout this journey. Without them, this would just not be possible. Thanks to Vivek Kumar sir and the world class PDCSE where I train.”
Vimal’s praise
Mentor and former India coach Vimal Kumar said Sen will be scrutinised and studied more after his brilliant run and the young shuttler would need variations in his game from the back of the court to stay ahead.
“I am happy with his tactical acumen, there is considerable improvement.
Vimal Kumar. Twitter
“He is calm and dealing with tough situations better. I also see a remarkable improvement in his defence, especially after how he has tackled the attack of Viktor (Axelsen) and Anders (Antonsen),” Vimal said.
“Viktor was too strong for Lakshya on Sunday. He chose the slower end, pinned Lakshya to the back in the first and Lakshya could not do much from the back. Lakshya lost to a better player.
“He fought well in the second but the lead was too big.
“Lakshya will now be scrutinised and studied and he will have to cope with all that. Overall, he is going in the right direction but he can attack more from the back of court and bring in more variations.”
The 20-year-old had raised hopes of a third Indian triumph at the All England Championship when he stormed into the final.
“He is disappointed but he has that spirit. He is very realistic and he knows why he lost. He knows what he needs to improve if he has to beat someone like Axelsen. He understands that he can’t feel too bad or be disheartened,” said Vimal.
Sen on Monday pulled out of the Swiss Open Super 300 tournament to get some rest.
