PARIS: After the early morning rain, the light, moist breeze felt good on the face. A good night’s sleep following the long train journey from Chateauroux on Tuesday night had helped. Coming out of the Metro, just outside the Porte de la Chapelle, one noticed that the cobbled sidewalk leading to the stadium had impressions of a shuttlecock.And a little ahead, a barbell, which reminded one of Mirabai Chanu. But that is for another day. Wednesday morning was about our badminton stars, in the fight for knockout last-16 singles berths.
PV Sindhutwo Olympic medals in her bag (silver in Rio 2016, bronze in Tokyo 2020), was the first Indian out on the courts. The 29-year-old Indian was up against 27-year-old Kristin Kuuba of Estonia.
The first game was a breeze as she took it 21-15. Kuuba, who has a deceptive drop in her repertoire, managed to stay close till 6-8 in the second game. But Sindhu had a quick word with her Indonesian coach Agus Dwi Santoso during the time-out. She returned to score 11 points on the trot and then sealed the game and match at 21-10. It also confirmed her entry in the last-16 knockout stage.
While it was easy for Sindhu and was on expected lines, it was a huge task for Lakshya Sen in the men’s singles. Having beaten Kevin Cordon of Guatemala in his opening game, he got the better of Julien Carraggi of Belgium. With Cordon pulling out after his first match, Lakshya’s win against him was ‘deleted’.
So, in the must win encounter, the 22-year-old unseeded Indian was up against the third seed, Jonathan Christie of Indonesia. Sen took his time to settle in, staged a comeback and then blew the Indonesian and the seedings and rankings out of the window with his emphatic performance.
Sen was beating the best in the world not so long ago but suffered a slump last year. He had to undergo a nose surgery for a deviated septum last August. The surgery was needed because the septum had blocked his right nasal pathway. He revealed later that the air intake was just 20% of normal. It had led to low immunity and several illnesses. It took him eight months to fully recover and rediscover his form, fitness and his confidence.
Sen had beaten Christie the first time they met in 2020. After that it was 4-0 in favour of the Indonesian. But that would have been far from the Indian’s mind. He had got a tough draw, and he was willing to come out of it fighting.
Sen started tentatively and found himself down 0-5. The Indonesian was pinning him to the back of the court and attacked him aggressively. “It took me some time to understand his tactics. The wind was also not helping, so I decided to change my strategy and counter his aggression,” Sen said later.
From 2-8 down, he took seven straight points to go ahead 9-8. Sen decided to engage in rallies and came up with delicate drops and scintillating returns. Christie kept smashing, hitting hard, trying to barge his way through. Sen was unperturbed and stonewalled his fancied opponent.
The Indian then came up with his own smashes and went ahead 14-11. Christie fought back to make it 18-18. Sen picked two quick points to get the game point. Then came a brilliant, reflex return from the Indian. It was the shot of the match and one which gave Sen the confidence to go for the kill. The first game was clinched 21-18.
Sen did not change his strategy in the second game. He was willing to play long rallies, keep returning everything that was thrown at him, keep lunging, keep diving. The Indonesian kept making unforced errors, rattled by Sen’s stubborn play that had blunted his game.
At the halfway stage of the second game, Sen led 11-6, Then, leading 13-9, he reeled off four points to go ahead 17-9. It was clear by then that the Indonesian had no chance of making a dramatic comeback. Sen had a stranglehold on him, the escape window was shut.
The Indian sealed the game at 21-12 and clenched his fist one last time. He then waved at the fans in the stands and thanked them with folded hands.
“I took time to settle down in the first game and after that tried to stay one or two points in the lead. It worked. In the second, I was in full control,” Sen said later. “It was a tough group. Going ahead I have confidence and the momentum with me. I must keep giving my 100 %.”
He must. It is a long haul.
PRANNOY RALLIES TO MAKE PRE-QUARTERS
HS Prannoy lost the first game of his match against Le Duc Phat of Vietnam but he fought back strongly to make the round of 16. Prannoy won 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 and will take on Lakshya for a place in the quarters.
