In Focus: Indian Rising Star Lakshya Sen

In the ever-evolving world of badminton, Lakshya Sen is a rising star whose exceptional skills and achievements have captured the attention of badminton fans worldwide. With a captivating playing style and a remarkable dedication to his craft, Sen's journey from a budding talent to a prominent sports personality inspires and intrigues.

Career Profile:

1. Men's Singles World Rank: 11
2. Men's Singles World Tour Rank: 4
3. Former junior world no. 1
4. Silver at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
5. Gold Medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Personal Information:

1. Birth Date: 16th August 2001 (22 Years as of 16th August 2023)
2. Country: India
3. Height: 1.78m (5 ft. 10 inches)
4. Handedness: Right
5. Coach: Anup Sridhar
6. Racket: Yonex Nanoflare 1000 Z
7. Shoes: Yonex Power Cushion 65 Z3 (White/Ocean Blue)

Lakshya's Recent Wins from the Year 2023

Lakshya Sen's recent achievements on the badminton circuit have firmly established him as a force to be reckoned with. Let's look at his most recent achievements to appreciate his unwavering commitment to excellence.

Daihatsu Japan Open 2023 (Tokyo, Japan):

On 28th July 2023, Lakshya Sen won the quarter-final against Japanese shuttler Koki Watanabe in straight sets. He secured the third position along with Japan's Kodai Naraoka.

Yonex US Open 2023 (Council Buffs, USA):

Along with Taiwanese player Lin Chun-yi, Lakshya Sen gained third position in the US Open.

Yonex Canada Open 2023 (Calgary, Canada):

After defeating Chinese player Li Shifeng, Sen lifted the trophy at the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500 Canada Open on 9th July 2023.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand Open 2023 (Bangkok, Thailand):

On 4th June 2023, Sen won the third position in Thailand Open by defeating Malaysian player Leong Jun Hao. This tournament was part of the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500.

Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships (Dubai, UAE):

During the competition held in Dubai from 14-19 February 2023, he won the bronze as a member of the Indian team.

Daihatsu Indonesia Masters 2023 (Jakarta, Indonesia):

On 27th January 2023, he reached the quarter-final of the Indonesia Masters after winning the elimination rounds.

Learn more about The Latest Poster Boy of Indian Badminton

Did you know Lakshya Sen was only 15 years old when he entered the finals of the Indian National Men's Singles in 2017? He broke the record of his mentor Prakash Padukone to become the youngest player to enter the finals.

Lakshya Sen has badminton running through him, thanks to his father, D K Sen, a revered badminton coach in India. His brother Chirag is also a professional badminton player. He started training at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore when he was under ten years.

2016 was an incredible year for Sen when he won the bronze at the Junior Asian Championship after losing to China’s Sun Feixiang 12–21,16–21. During this time, he also started competing at the senior international level and won the men's singles title at the 2016 India International Series tournament.

Sen became the no. 1 junior singles player in the BWF World Junior ranking of 2017. He won the Asian Junior Championships, a silver medal in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, and a bronze medal at the BWF Junior World Championships.

In 2019, he won the Belgian International tournament and clinched his first-ever BWF Tour title by winning the Dutch Open men's singles tournament. He also won the German SaarLorLux Open and the Scottish Open. In 2020, he was part of the Indian contingent to win the bronze at the Badminton Asia Team Championships. He won the bronze at the 2021 Helueva World Championships in the men’s singles category.

2022 proved to be an eventful year for the shuttler! Lakshya Sen clinched his first Super 500 title by winning the India Open Tournament of 2022. He also managed to defeat World No.1 Viktor Axelsen in the semifinals of the German Open.

Sen clinched a silver in the 2022 All England Open Badminton Championships. He also won the 2022 Thomas Cup as a part of the Indian men's team. Sen made India proud by becoming the Commonwealth champion at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the men's singles category. He won the silver in the mixed team event.

What is the Playing Style of Lakshya Sen?

The meaning of his name is aim or goal. And Lakshya Sen truly exemplifies his name. One of his coaches at the PPBA (Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy), Vimal Kumar, said, "What initially struck both Prakash and me about Lakshya was his enormous intensity and desire to win."

As a kid, he took every loss to his heart. However, he is now more calm and collected. His game is not one of blind aggression. In addition to strength, he advocates speed to confound his competitors. Lakshya Sen is a blend of attacking shots and razor-sharp movements on the court.

His net game is incredible that allows Lakshya to control the point. His strength lies in maintaining an optimal distance from the net for easy defense against rival smashes.

Did you know Lakshya Sen played the fastest badminton smashes ever in men's singles at an astounding speed of 420kph? He achieved this feat during the final match of the Canada Open on July 10th, 2023. The record was later broken by another Indian Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.

Lakshya Sen plays his smashes strong but calculated. He will employ a mix of smashes, half-smashes, and fast drops to exert power over his opponent. Lakshya's strength lies in his excellent footwork, which allows him to hold his ground and play varied shots in quick succession.

Lakshya's Favorite Badminton Gear

In the past, we have seen him wielding a Yonex Astrox 100 ZZ racket. The racket delivered raw power and immense speed. However, today, he prefers the latest Yonex Nanoflare 1000Z and BG80 Power racket strings for playing aggressive and faster rallies on the court.

He is a fan of the Yonex Power Cushion 65 Z3 men's shoes and uses a Pro Tournament Bag.

A Motivation to Pursue Your Lakshya (Goal)

Lakshya Sen's remarkable performance is a motivation to pursue one's goals diligently. His successful career is a result of hours of rigorous training, focused drills, and mental conditioning. His commitment to pushing boundaries and refining his techniques allows every badminton player to understand that consistent practice and in-depth analysis of your performance are a must to achieve greatness.