NEW DELHI: The World Championships, second only to the Olympics, carries a significant weight. It can be daunting to say the least but it can also be life-changing for those who conquer the challenge. For India shuttler Lakshya Sen, it's a massive opportunity to breathe new life into his game, a game that has been patchy at best since his All England Open run to the final earlier this year.
Having medalled in the 2021 edition, Lakshya knows the importance of it and is aiming for a deep run in the latest edition in New Delhi. "I want to do well. Every round is tough. I'm going to take that approach of focussing on one match at a time. My goal here will be to go deep in the tournament," he said.
For the last two weeks or so, Lakshya, who trains at Centre for Badminton Excellence in Bengaluru, had temporarily shifted base to National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati for a special training camp earlier this month. It was a strategic move to get acclimatized to large indoor conditions ahead of the marquee event.
Now having had a go here at the Indoor Arena on Sunday, the World No 14 felt the players will get a better idea of the playing conditions as the tournament progresses. "Once the crowd comes in, the shuttle is going to behave in a different way. We just have to adapt. It looks better than before. As the tournament progresses, we'll also get more ideas about the conditions."
The men's singles category promises to be an intriguing affair with many shuttlers making a mark in recent months. Shi Yu Qi, Kunlavut Vitidsarn are the big seeds in contention but there are also players like Anders Antonsen, Victor Lai, Lin Chun-yi, Chou Tien-chen who could potentially challenge for the big prize. "I would say everybody has a chance. Whoever steps up the day has the edge. I believe in myself," Lakshya, who turned 26 on Sunday, said.
One thing that has hurt Lakshya's game over the years is his fitness, especially when he's involved in marathon matches. Even if he happens to survive, he has been unable to carry forward the momentum in next tournaments because of that. He said that has been the main area of focus in the build-up to his latest assignment.
"I kept on working on the physical aspect of the game. We were just looking to maintain it, looking to ensure that I stay sharp towards the end of the tournament."