‘NOBODY CAN STOP HIM'

WINNER OF THIS YEAR’S INDIA OPEN, SHUTTLER LAKSHYA SEN IS SMASHING HIS WAY TO THE TOP

- Suhani Singh

Watching shuttler Lakshya Sen play can, at times, feel like watching a b-boy pulling off unbelievable moves. He will dive to retrieve a seemingly unreturnable shuttle and then quickly bounce back up to prolong the rally. You will gasp at his ability to switch from defence to offence. You might also wince, seeing what he is putting his body through. As he revisits his matches, Sen realises the risks he takes as he pushes himself. “There are chances of injury in shots where I throw myself on the court. I want to do it only when it is required and be more stable on my feet,” he says. “But there’s so much happening that you are not thinking, and then they turn into amazing rallies.”

In the past two months, his inarguably exciting game has paid rich dividends for the 20-year-old. Sen won a bronze at his maiden World Championships as a senior in December. He recently bagged the India Open title in New Delhi, where he beat world champion Loh Kean Yew in the finals. Suddenly, the new kid on the block is in the spotlight. “It is great that people have been talking about me. I like the attention,” says Sen. “But I just want to continue to perform at the highest level.”