BENGALURU: There is no euphoria that can compete with beating yourself. In a dramatic turn of events, badminton player Lakshya Sen gained back his career’s best ranking as he rose to Number 6 in the Badminton World Federation on Tuesday. Although thrilled now, Sen was slightly disappointed last week when his ranking dropped to Number 7. “Six is my career best. Winning a tournament gives you a lot of confidence,” he says.
Earlier this month, Sen rose to Number 6 from his previous position at Number 8. The leap came despite his first two-round exits in his two previous tournaments. However, 2022 has been a landmark year for him in his sporting career. With a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games and Thomas Cup, the 21-year-old is one of the brightest stars in the sporting world. And now with an Arjuna award in his kitty, Sen is ending the year with a bang.
Sen recalls the news was most exciting for his family. “My father got to know first and everyone in the family was thrilled about it. It was a very emotional moment,” recalls Sen, who practices at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Yelahanka.
Although Sen, who is being coached by veteran badminton players Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar, gave the recently-concluded Australian Open Badminton a miss, he is bracing to start 2023 with Malaysia Open 2023 which begins on January 10. “Currently, I am practising for the tournament and it is going well. Right now, I am solely focusing on Malaysia Open 2023,” says Sen, hoping he goes back to his top rank.
Lakshya’s heartfelt note on Instagram
This has been an amazing year for me. From the time I was a child, I dreamed of participating in the All-England championships. As a matter of fact, that was the only tournament I was aware of at the time. Being a part of the finals was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Taking home the Thomas Cup was an incredible accomplishment for India. Together, we delivered when it mattered most (sic)..