Olympics24: Heartbreak for Laksya Sen in badminton semis ,Lovelina loses in boxing

 

India's Lakshya Sen suffers heartbreak in the mens badminton Olympic semis . Even after taking healthy lead in both sets he lost in straight sets to Viktor Axelsen. 

At one point in the first game, Laksya was ahead by 18-12 points and even reached game point. It seemed like Lakshya Sen would win the first game. However, Viktor Axelsen proved that the fight was not easy. Axelsen clinched the first game by scoring consecutive points. This setback possibly shook the confidence of  Lakshya. He couldn't advance to the final. In the men's singles semifinals of badminton at the Paris Olympics, he lost to Denmark's Axelsen in straight games (20-22, 14-21).

Lakshya started well against the experienced Axelsen, earning points and engaging in a close contest for the first 11 points. Lakshya reached 11 points first. After changing courts, he played impressively, using speed to outmaneuver Axelsen. He secured a lead of 18-12 by winning consecutive points. It was then that Axelsen demonstrated why he is considered one of the best in badminton.

Axelsen began to confuse Lakshya with his serves, taking his time before serving and not revealing the direction of his shots. He varied between short and long serves, scoring several points from his serve. The Danish player also targeted Lakshya's backhand, preventing him from executing the smashes he had used earlier.

Despite this, Lakshya still reached game point. Axelsen was trailing 17-20 but managed to save three consecutive game points. From there, he took the lead and won the first game 22-20.

In the second game, Lakshya again showed dominance at the start, winning seven consecutive points. Axelsen seemed to be searching for a way back into the game. At that crucial moment, Lakshya made an unforced error. Axelsen then demonstrated how to capitalize on serving opportunities. Trailing 0-7, he won point after point. After the court change, the two-time world champion accelerated his point collection.

Lakshya could not recover after falling behind. He had only won once in their previous eight encounters against Axelsen and could not secure a second victory. Having trained with Axelsen for a long time, Lakshya did put up a fight, but the Danish player ultimately prevailed. However, Lakshya's journey isn't over yet. His performance over the past week has earned him another chance to win a medal.

In boxing India's  Lovlina Borgohain exited in the quarterfinals. She lost to her Chinese opponent, missing the opportunity to secure a medal by advancing to the semifinals. Lovlina was defeated by Li Qian with a score of 4-1.