NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed shuttler Lakshya Sen for putting up a spirited fight after he lost the final of the All England Championships, and expressed confidence that he would keep scaling new heights of success.
Sen's dream run at the All England Championships ended with a heartbreaking straight-game loss against world number one and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the men's singles final on Sunday, continuing India's 21-year-long agonising wait for the coveted trophy.
"Proud of you @lakshya_sen! You've shown remarkable grit and tenacity. You put up a spirited fight. Best wishes for your future endeavours," Modi tweeted.
"I am confident you will keep scaling new heights of success," the prime minister said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also hailed Sen's performance. "You are second to none, @lakshya_sen. You have won a billion hearts. Congratulations for a wonderful performance. You have done India proud! My best wishes for your future endeavours," Gandhi tweeted.
After four days of sensational badminton, the 20-year-old Sen faltered on the cusp of history as he committed too many errors to go down 10-21 15-21 to former champion Axelsen in the summit clash.