Historic All-India Badminton Knockout at Paris Olympics 2024: HS Prannoy vs. Lakshya Sen in Round of 16 Clash

First Ever Indian Showdown in Olympic Badminton Knockout

HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen are set to make history in a thrilling men's singles round of 16 clash at the Paris Olympics 2024. This marks the first time two Indian shuttlers will face each other in an Olympic knockout match.

Prannoy secured his place in the round of 16 after a spirited comeback against Vietnam's Le Duc Phat, winning 16-21, 21-11, 21-12. On the other hand, Sen demonstrated dominance with a straight-games victory, 21-18, 21-12, against Indonesia's Jonathan Christie.

Expressing his excitement after the win, Lakshya Sen said, "It was a tough match today, and I’m happy with the way I played. Gold is definitely in sight. The last few months have been good, despite some ups and downs. Especially here at the French Open, I found my momentum."

Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone praised Sen's performance, noting, "Lakshya is playing exceptionally well. It was a crucial match against Christie, and winning in straight games was impressive. Tomorrow's match against Prannoy will be another test. The best player will advance."

In their previous encounters, Sen had only one win against Christie four years ago and a 1-4 head-to-head record before the Paris Olympics. However, he showed remarkable composure to defeat his opponent in straight games.

Prannoy's path to the round of 16 was more challenging. After losing the first game to Le Duc Phat, he rallied to win the next two convincingly.

The Prannoy vs. Sen match, scheduled for Thursday, promises to be an exciting contest as both players aim for a place in the quarterfinals. Sen, ranked 19th in the world, remains unbeaten in Paris and recently overcame World No. 4 Jonatan Christie. Prannoy, ranked 13th, will be looking to continue his strong performance.

Stay tuned for live streaming and updates as these two Indian shuttlers battle for Olympic glory.

Reference:

www.hindustantimes.com