New Delhi: Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen has spoken about dealing with the pressure of carrying the country’s expectations, saying a focused mindset helped him navigate a challenging campaign at the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships.
The 24 year old shuttler finished runner up in the men’s singles event after losing 21 15, 22 20 in the final to Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei. Despite the defeat, Sen created history by becoming only the second Indian player to reach the All England final twice.
Sen said he avoided thinking about the overall draw or future opponents and instead concentrated on the immediate challenge in front of him. According to him, focusing on one match at a time helped him stay mentally disciplined throughout the tournament and prevented outside expectations from becoming a burden.
The Indian star also reflected on how his approach had changed since his first appearance in the final in 2022. At that time, he had entered the tournament with little pressure and simply enjoyed the experience of competing at the highest level. This year, however, he felt more prepared to handle the pressure that comes with big matches.
Sen explained that reaching the quarterfinals, semifinals and final this time brought greater belief in his ability to win the title. He said the experience gained over the past few years allowed him to approach crucial matches with more confidence and maturity compared to his earlier run.
Looking back at the final, Sen admitted that a physically demanding semifinal against Victor Lai affected his condition. The match lasted one hour and thirty seven minutes and left him struggling with cramps, which made recovery before the final difficult.
He said the physical strain from the semifinal caused fatigue in his muscles, making it challenging to return to full fitness the following day.
Despite the disappointment of falling short in the title match, Sen described the tournament as a positive and emotional week. He believes the performances and confidence gained from the campaign will prove valuable as he prepares for upcoming international competitions.
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