Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen faced a surprising setback at the Paris Olympics as his match against Guatemala’s Kevin Cordon was nullified. Cordon had to withdraw from the tournament due to a left elbow injury, leading to the deletion of their men’s singles Group L match results, as per BWF regulations. This ruling means Lakshya’s progress in the group will now depend solely on his performances in the remaining matches. He is set to play against Julian Carragi next, scheduled for July 29.
The decision has sparked a debate among fans, many of whom have expressed their displeasure on social media. One fan voiced frustration on X, saying, “It’s bewildering how such inequitable rules are created and approved. This situation is utterly unjust and deeply unfair to Lakshya Sen.”
In other badminton news from the Paris Olympics, India’s men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made an impressive start in Group C, defeating France’s Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar with a score of 21-17, 21-14. Meanwhile, the women’s doubles duo of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffered a straight-game defeat against South Korea’s Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong.
On a brighter note for India, PV Sindhu kicked off her campaign with a commanding victory over Maldives’ Fathimath Abdul Razzaq, winning 21-9, 21-6 in her group stage match. Reflecting on her win, Sindhu expressed her satisfaction, stating, “It was a good start, I am happy. I was able to get used to the court and the atmosphere. It has been a long time, coming back after three years, it’s a very special one. 2016 (Olympics) was different and 2020 (2021) was completely different. It is a sort of mixture of both. I am enjoying and looking to the second match.”
Sindhu also touched on the mental challenges athletes face, especially during tough times. She emphasized the importance of staying mentally strong, saying, “It’s important to be mentally strong when you’re really at your lows, or you don’t know what’s happening, or you get really upset with the way you’re playing, and when you start losing matches – you think nothing is working out.”
She credited her support team for helping her maintain a positive outlook, even in challenging times. “My team speaks to me in a positive way – makes me understand it’s okay to be low at times. We are humans and it might not be your day, but it is important to bounce back and take it slowly day by day.”
Sindhu’s words resonate with many athletes who often grapple with the pressures of competition. As the games progress, Indian fans will be keenly watching their athletes’ performances, hoping for more success on the Olympic stage.