Lakshya Sen vs Viktor Axelsen Highlights, Badminton Paris Olympics 2024: Lakshya Sen to play Lee Zii Jia for bronze after semis loss

Shivani Naik elaborates: How over-thinking in first set and over-passiveness in second set made Lakshya Sen slip-up against Viktor Axelsen in a match for ages

"From leading 17-11, Sen had allowed the Danish defending champion a re-entry into the first set while still leading 19-17, but that aggressive air-scything smash with a turned racquet-face had been perfection and put him on the verge of a statement making opener at 20-17. There was the buzz of a grand upset in the air, when the tables turned in a matter of seconds and the reverse of alchemy unfolded as Sen’s gold-ambition got downgraded to a bronze." (READ MORE)

Watch Lakshya Sen's interview after his defeat to Axelsen. 

Lee Yang - Wang Chi Lin of Taiwan have beaten China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang  21-17, 18-21, 21-19. 

Chinese must be wondering what more can they do to stop the cool Taipese. Lee-Wang took down the Tall Towers of China in Tokyo final. And at Paris, they have pushed off the speediest, cunningest Not-Tall-At-All stars. 

In the intervening years, Lee-Wang did nothing of note on the circuit. They even split, took long breaks, and only surfaced at start of qualifying period. Grouped in Group of Death, with 4 Top 15 pairs out of 5, they have gone the distance at their second Olympics.

Addendum from Shivani: Across two Olympics, the only pairing to beat the Paris gold medal winners Lee-Wang, are Satwik-Chirag. Alas, nothing amounts to nothing in this nothingness.

Spare a thought for Carolina Marin, who was forced to retire during her women’s singles semifinal. Marin had won the first game and was 10-8 up in the second game against China's He Bing Jiao when she collapsed to the floor in agony after trying to return a shuttle on her right-hand side. Soon her coach Fernando Rivas and her rival He Bing Jiao were by her side asking her if she was okay. Marin received medical treatment. Then she decided to play on with a knee brace. She powered on for two rallies before collapsing and deciding to end her campaign in tears.

BWF reported that a 'sobbing Marin refused the offer of a wheelchair, hobbled out of the arena and left the venue an hour later on crutches, with heavy strapping to her right knee.'

“She looked at me and she said, ‘It’s broken’. It’s a feeling she knows, and if she’s telling me that, then it’s true.
It goes beyond sports. I’ve been coaching Carolina for 16 years, so she’s like my daughter. I’m hurt beyond badminton. This is the least important thing at the moment,” Rivas was quoted as saying by BWF's website.

After the heartbreaking end to the Carolina Marin's campaign, Spanish basketball legend Pau Gasol has a heartwarming message for the Spanish Olympic champion.   

"It hurts us a lot to see you retire due to an injury, but you have shown us to be a true CHAMPION. We love you, Carolina Marin ! I'm sure we'll see you smiling again soon. Always by your side," he posts on social media. 

Victor Axelsen on IG: "Almost can't believe that I'm in another Olympic final after 3 years. ???? Thank you so much @senlakshya for the match today. You deserved it just as much as me, all the best moving forward. Thank you to everyone at the stadium and here online for the amazing support I'm receiving. I promise you that I will give it my all tomorrow in the finals!"

PV Sindhu takes to her Instagram to post a message for her Spanish competitor Carolina Marin, who has had to end her campaign despite leading due to knee injury.

"To one of my greatest rivals and dearest friends on the tour, @carolinamarin, I am sending all the positive energy in the world your way. You were playing a phenomenal match, and I was deeply rooting for you!

"Deep down, I believe there was no player on tour I hated playing against more than you. Your willpower, sheer determination, and uncanny ability to put players under pressure are unmatched.

"Knowing you and your willpower, it’s only a matter of time, buddy! Just know I will always be your biggest supporter. ??"

Photo: PV Sindhu on Instagram

-So a first-ever singles Badminton gold for an Indian it won't be, or a first-ever Badminton men's singles final appearance for that matter. But there's still hope for Lakshya Sen to bag the first medal by an Indian in the category. A bronze. 

He will square up against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the bronze-medal playoff while Axelsen will face Thailand's reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the finals. 

Viktor Axelsen, asked if the difference between Lakshya and him today was the big-game experience, says: “Yes, I think the experience made a difference today. I think Lakshya played better than I did in big parts of the game. So he could have won the match. But I ended up winning.”

Viktor Axelsen, asked what he was thinking in the first game when he was 17-20 down, says: “I tried not to think. Because if you start to think, then you have problems. I think Lakshya thought a lot about it. It’s a big thing for him obviously. I know what the rings (Olympics) does to you mentally. You’re starting to think that if I get this set then I have the momentum and have the chance. It’s so natural to think like that, I’ve been there myself. I think he got a little bit nervous. And when my opponent is nervous, I know that I have to strike. And I just have to keep my shots on the court and play the right shots because maybe he will make a mistake because of nerves. That’s what happened.”

Asked what his learnings from the Olympics so far, Lakshya says: “I’m still in the zone. So I have to go back and analyse with my coaches what really happened. I don’t want to delve too much into it, I have another match tomorrow. My focus is on that.”

“I had to be a bit more patient and try out a few things that could have gone the other way. Overall, at that stage, whatever came into my head, I did that. Have a lot of things to learn from this match. I’ll be ready for tomorrow. Now is the time to look at the match and take a few positive things and look at things I can improve on. And then just forget this result. It’s just one match.”

“Closing the first set was important. Maybe if I had done that I would have had a better chances in the third. Overall a good match,” says Lakshya Sen.  

Shivani Naik, The Indian Express' badminton expert, points out: "Lee Zii Jia has only beaten Lakshya Sen once in 5 meetings, and that was when the Indian was unwell at the Thomas Cup. Otherwise it's 4-1 to Sen in the past. But the way Sen is playing, his confidence, his cerebral counters on court and his hunger for a medal, that bronze looks very gettable. LZJ is a compulsive attacker, but Sen is way too far gone in his defensive assuredness to be denied. His crosscourt game has a sting of its own."

Viktor Axelsen, while talking to JioCinema, backs the Indian for success four years from now.

“This was definitely the toughest match for me in Paris Olympics so far. Lakshya started so well, but I was able to relax in the 2nd game. I am sure four years from now, Lakshya Sen will be one of the favourites for gold in LA 2028, he has shown during these Games why he is such a strong contender."

There's a Great still in the Dane, not in Britain. 

Three consecutive medals, possibly two Gold puts Axelsen in GOAT frames with Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei (three Oly silvers). 

For Lakshya Sen, the end-game pummelling will need to be forgotten fast and funnelled into bronze playoff against Malaysian Lee Zii Jia.

Sen started brilliantly, but couldn't turn the knife against Axelsen. Those serve delays, entirely legal, were a nice little trick to unsettle him. But in the end it wasn't the big Vigo smash that got to him, but the forehand lengths. Endgame woes, but Axelsen is a mammoth champ, though Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn will be trickier. 

Roaring celebrations from Viking Vigo in the end.

GOATta-be him in the end. 

It's Malaysia again standing in the way of an Indian badminton medal.

This is some incredible badminton from the Dane, who claims the match with a 22-20, 21-14 scoreline after a 54-minute slugfest against the incredible Lakshya Sen.

And to think that Lakshya was in touching distance of winning the first game. He was 20-17 up in the first game, but saw Axelsen first save three game points and then win the first game with a 22-20 margin.

Then, in the second game, Lakshya came out like a man possesed, winning seven points in a row. he was 7-0 up in the second game. But then Axelsen came back. At the mid-game interval, the Indian was leading by one solitary point at 11-10. From that point, the Dane just ran away to victory with ease despite the young Indian's best efforts.   

Lakshya Sen can still win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics as he will play the losing finalist of the second semis. lakshya will take on the 7th seeded Malaysian, Lee Zii Jia, who lost to Kunlavut Viditsarn (8th seed) in the first semi-final.  

The Dane was down 0-7 in this second game. And now he holds six match points.

Finally, for the first time in the second game, the Olympic champion is leading 13-12. And he is not the kind to let the momentum slip. So he claims three more points. 

He's claimed 15 of the last 20 points now! 

Game 2: Lakshya Sen 12-15 Viktor Axelsen

There's a deceptively dangerous spot on his forehand at Sen"s ear-length that Axelsen keeps hitting to. You can't power-propel from there and Sen's smaller reach  comes under pressure. Repeatedly. At times he just pings Sen on that forehand flank, and finishes on the backhand. It's a floater fatale to fh. 12-12 though

A thunderous smash from the Dane. And Sen finds that the scores are level at 10-10. he looked completely out of sorts for the first seven points where Lakshya took a 7-0 lead. And then, he showed just how he's a two-time Olympics medallist.

Lakshya, though, is in murderous mood of his own. He smashes to take a 11-10 lead. Remember, he was leading at the mid-game break in the first game as well. 

Game 2: Lakshya Sen 11-10 Viktor Axelsen

A seven-point lead means little against Axelsen. Over the next eight points, the Dane has won seven points. 

Lakshya's lead whittled to one point. 

Game 2: Lakshya Sen 8-7 Viktor Axelsen

laksyha is 7-0 up in the second game. This is some dominanance from the Indian against the defending Olympic champion. 

This is one way of responding to falling short in the first game after being 20-17 up and squandering that lead. 

Imperious badminton. 

Here's how Axelsen mounted his comeback. 

"Easy points mat do. Don't give up," the message from the legendary Prakash Padukone to Lakshya Sen in the changeover. This brings a small smile on Lakshya's face. 

Sen has dropped three game points and allowed the defending Olympic champion to claw back to 20-20. There was a serveice error there which shows that he might be under pressure. 

And with the score at 20-20, there is another error from Sen, who sends his shot wide. 

Axelsen closes out the first set. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 20-22 Viktor Axelsen

Ocne again, that cross court smash coming to the Indian's rescue. he hits it with the Dane catching up at 18-17. Just rose up, and slapped the shuttle downwards at the forehand side of Axelsen.

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 19-17 Viktor Axelsen

Some wicked overhead deception on 18-13 from Sen. The Dane was bracing for a cross, but Sen hammered it down the line with faux wrist turn. Vigo pulling back, but it's too tight for the Dane at 18

A much flatter ralley here, and Lakshya is matching the the Dane shot for shot before he makes a mistake .And out of nowhere, the Dane has dragged himself back to a two-point gap on Lakshya.

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 18-16 Viktor Axelsen

The Indian bossing the point right from the start of the rally. He's getting too many chances to attack and he's not in the mood to let go of any of them. He forces an error into the net from the Dane. 

But on the next point, Axelsen nips the serve in the bud with a ferocious smash of his own. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 18-15 Viktor Axelsen 

Finally, the Dane catches a break. He wins two back-to-back points at come back 15-10. The second point in particular, he worked the Indian and then ended with a smash. 

But Lakshya halts the Olympic champion's march with a smash of his own.

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 16-11 Viktor Axelsen

WOW! What a match Lakshya has played so far. He went into the mid-game break with a 11-9 lead, which he's now stretched to a 15-9 lead. 

He's really running away with this match. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 15-9 Viktor Axelsen

Lakshya Sen punishing Axelsen. Making him run from one part of the court to another. He was training 8-9. Now up 10-9. And once again it's a smash that earns him the point. Albeit on the backhand side.

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 10-9 Viktor Axelsen

After seeing a lift get punished by Axelsen smash, Lakshya seems to have learnt his lesson. And it seems like he's going to play more of repeated drop shots, something that could trouble Axelsen because of his height

Viktor Axelsen's backhand from midcourts. Those are the ones he controls very assiduously. That confidence is what Sen will look to chip away at. 

And every time he nails a back line clear, which Vigo leaves, that's a good sign for Sen. 

Axelsen meanwhile trying to pin Sen on his forehand on back court .

Two sharp cross courts nailed by Sen. Leads 7-6

Lakshya is targeeting his point from the forehand side of Axelsen. He rains down one more smash that side to pick up another point. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 8-7 Viktor Axelsen

Lakshya has clearly not in the mood to defer to Axelsen. He's matching the Dane shot for shot and kills the point with a cross-court smash that had the power to take someone's eye out.

He's leading in the first game. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 7-6 Viktor Axelsen 

What an incredible comeback fom the Indian. he was 1-4 down. But now is level at 5-5. On the last point, both he and Axelsen sparred on the net for a while, before Lakshya killed the point with a deft placed cross court half smash! 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 5-5 Viktor Axelsen

The Indian has pushed out the bird a couple of times now and finds himself 1-4 down in the first game. 

But the crowd at the stadum are firmly in the Indian's corner. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 1-4 Viktor Axelsen

Lakshya Sen is here and we are just minutes away from the live action. 

India have defeated Great Britain 4-2 in the Penalty shootout in the men's hockey quarterfinal. 

Half of Sen’s fanbase had been muttering away restlessly about his tough draw and its assorted unfairnesses – an extra match than everybody else, then a deleted match like nobody else, and finally the toughest early match against a Top 3 to even get out of Group L. Sen who believes big events deserve big match-ups, stayed undeterred as he clinically and charismatically took apart third seed Jonatan Christie, in a 21-18, 21-12 feast. (READ MORE)

The eventual winner might turn out to be the original favourite for two years - Korean An Se-young. But this badminton Olympic cycle with a three-year turnaround has shown how brutal the relentless circuit has been on its topmost names. Tai Tzu Ying, Akane Yamaguchi landed up in Paris half-fit, and all of PV Sindhu, Chen Yufei, Ratchanok and Carolina Marin had battled painfully slow healing comebacks with extended periods away from the Tour tending to their injuries. 

He Bing Jiao and Tunjung both play the classical elegant game of deception, biomechanically balanced, with only a glaze of power play, so haven't really been bruised as much. An Se-young herself was managing a troubling injury, and it raises concerns of a year-round circuit packed with events, an extended qualification phase, leading to a barely-there Olympics in terms of high-quality action that comes from niggle free fitness. 

Marin aggravated her knee too, in semis. Bing Jiao vs Se-young will be an interesting contrast of styles, but the Olympics has road-rolled most other big names in Women's singles. It was always going to be about who doesn't fall apart in the end in WS. 

P.S: Will relative fitness decide the Men's singles destinies too? (Shivani Naik)

Thrice, in the last few years, Lakshya Sen had been taken to a decider by Chen, and finished tamely. Chen is a former Top 4, rangy and with endless control on carrying on with a rally. His smashes hit deep, and his net game isn’t brittle. But Lakshya Sen’s finishing in the second set — after he pushed the accelerator, and refused to peg back the pace, made him a worthy first male Indian to make Olympic semifinals. P Kashyap and K Srikanth both had chances in quarterfinals, but couldn’t finish. Lakshya Sen brokered no such thoughts of going down in a brutal, bruising, energy sucking contest. (READ MORE)

There’s an involuntary twitch that coach Mathias Boe would get in his shoulder every time Chirag Shetty whizzed across for a net kill or Satwiksairaj Rankireddy leapt for a smash, while he watched them train or play. Like it was him playing. He wouldn’t have checked twice if the parachute worked while jumping out a plane if that’s what it took to shepherd Satwik-Chirag. (READ MORE)

Viktor Axelsen wrapped up his quarterfinals day, by exchanging messages on Twitter with Loh Kean Yew. The Singaporean posted, "Should have shared a fake game plan to confuse Viktor Axelsen."

Earlier in the week he mock-sulked about the cover of Donald Duck magazine in Denmark, called Anders And (cartoon of Viktor & the three nephew ducklings). He clamoured for the magazine to be called Viktor Axelsand. 

Father to two girls, Vega and Ava, Axelsen has spoken of how he's calmed down in last few years.

On match morning, he posted his usual coffee pic, strangely cropped and looking a tad tepid though. 

He's said he considers Lakshya Sen a dark horse, and there's the usual swirl about shoulder-troubles. Under his coffee post, Indian fan reactions have ranged from "Please loose / loss today" to "Bhai bekaar khelna aaj." 

Someone even offered to add 100K followers to his account, in return of losing. 

An hour out from the match, Axelsen might not particularly read these, but there are advanced warnings politely issued of 1.5 billions trolling him should he win. (Shivani Naik)

There will be two opponents fighting Viktor Axelsen in the semifinal of the Paris Olympics on Sunday. Lakshya Sen, the Indian, will need to find himself an ally in the second unseen foe of the great Dane, the defending champion. That second invisible figure is the shadow of cloying expectations Axelsen’s glorious past casts on his present. A shadow of possible all-time greatness that will stalk him and grow longer, the closer he gets to his second gold. (READ MORE)

The secret sauce for Lakshya Sen, the first Indian man to reach the last-four stage of the Olympics badminton competition, is his mother Nirmala’s cooking. She has travelled with him for around a month along with father Dhirendra Kumar and brother Chirag. Surprisingly, the fare on offer isn’t always Indian: Lakshya Sen’s staple lunch is a mildly spiced chicken noodle soup, crafted by Nirmala in coordination with the player’s nutritionist. (READ MORE)

Former gold medallist Carolina Marinw as forced to retire from her women's singles semifinal against China's He Bingjiao after she sustained an injury on her right knee. Marin was leading 21-14, 10-6. Marin put on a knee brace and played two more points before deciding to retire. If she recovers from her injury, Marin will play Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the bronze medal match.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics. It's a Super Sunday. In Hockey, India are currently leading Great Britain by 1-0, courtesy a goal from Harmanpreet Singh. You can switch tabs and check all the live updates from the men's hockey quarterfinals. For all the other updates, here is our Day 9 blog. Not to forget, there is a cricket match as well in Colombo, where Rohit Sharma-led India is taking on injury-hit Sri Lanka in the second ODI.