Lakshya Sen Advances to Paris Olympics Quarterfinals, Receives Words of Encouragement from PV Sindhu

Ahead of his quarterfinal match, Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen triumphed over HS Prannoy, advancing to the Paris Olympics quarterfinals. PV Sindhu extended her best wishes to Sen, while reflecting on her own Olympics journey, which saw her exit in the Round of 16.

In a pivotal match ahead of the men's singles quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics, Indian Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen secured a victory and received motivation from PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist. Sen surpassed fellow Indian shuttler HS Prannoy in the Round of 16, delivering a commanding straight-set win of 21-12, 21-6.

Speaking to Olympics.com, Sindhu said, "I wish him all the very best and I hope he does well. It is his first Olympics, so I want him to give his best and give his 100 per cent." Despite Prannoy's vast experience, the young Lakshya's sheer talent proved overwhelming. The 22-year-old displayed exceptional agility, contrasting sharply with Prannoy's sluggish start.

Sen is set to face 12th-seeded Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinal on Friday. Sindhu, who previously secured a silver in Rio 2016 and a bronze in Tokyo 2020, faced a disappointing exit in the current Olympics, falling to China's He Bing Jiao in the women's singles Round of 16 in straight sets of 19-21, 14-21.

Sindhu, one of India's prime medal hopefuls, was aiming for a historic hat-trick but expressed her regret over the outcome. "It is sad that I could not get the result that I wanted but at the Olympics, everybody wants to win. Unfortunately, that could not happen or it did not go the right way for me," Sindhu stated.

The veteran player emphasized the crucial moments in the match, especially when tied at 19-19 in the first set. "Maybe if I had won the first set it would have been different. Overall I just felt that it is a sad day but I need to keep my head high," she concluded.