Mild Mannered Sen-Sation
A new generation of men’s singles talent is making its presence felt, and among its most recognisable figures is Lakshya Sen.
· DEV SUKUMAR
The months of Covid-induced isolation robbed the circuit of the transition phase of this cohort from the junior to the elite ranks – the likes of Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Brian Yang, Lakshya Sen, Li Shi Feng and Christo Popov. The surprise is how quickly they have adapted to the demands of top-level badminton, with some already competing in major semifinals and finals.
For India, Sen is the carrier of hopes in men’s singles. While senior compatriots Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy and Sai Praneeth are far from being done, Sen is the face of the future.
Born in the town of Almora in the Himalayan foothills, Sen attracted attention even as a wisp of a lad. At 10 he moved to the southern metropolis of Bangalore to train at the Prakash Padukone Academy; Padukone having prophesised a bright future for the young talent. There were promising results at the junior level – he was bronze medallist at the World Junior Championships 2018 and runner-up at the Youth Olympic Games that year. While there were no sensational results at the senior level, he racked up a series of wins on the lower tiers of the circuit – in 2019, he won five of seven events, including a hat-trick of titles at the Belgian International, Dutch Open and SaarLorLux Open.