In a twist of fate, India’s top men’s singles badminton players, HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen, found themselves pitted against each other in the Round of 16 at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Legendary badminton player Prakash Padukone expressed his regret at this early encounter between two promising athletes.
Both Prannoy and Lakshya were considered strong contenders for medals in Paris. Their maiden Olympic appearances held immense promise, but the draw dictated that they face off in the early stages of the tournament.
Prakash Padukone’s thoughts on All India Clash
Prakash Padukone acknowledged that such matchups occur frequently in badminton, even at BWF events. The rules are clear, and players must accept the draw results. Whether from India or any other country, the game demands adherence to these regulations.
“It happens all the time, even in the BWF events. So in the first round itself, you meet each other. I think one of the Chinese doubles, meets in the pre-quarter itself. It happens, the rules are very clear. It’s already announced beforehand. It doesn’t matter which country you come from,” Prakash Padukone told IndiaToday.
“But in the men’s singles, I think it was a draw and it happens. You know, if there are two good players, sometimes you do. It’s a little unfortunate, but I think one has to obey the rules and follow,” he further added.
Padukone praised Lakshya Sen’s recent form. However, he emphasized that past results matter little in the Olympics. The pressure of the moment defines success, and Lakshya would need to rise to the occasion on the day of play.
“I think he’s in good form. I think a lot of the credit goes to the team led by Vimal. I’m of course helping them but you know, in terms of strategy and tactics they really worked hard. He seems to be in good form but needs to maintain his form for the next three or four days. As of now, he seems good, but I think each day is different. I always keep saying that the past result, the future results, whether you have beaten him in the past, all of that does not matter. Just this one week, you have to be at your best. You have to try to reach the peak, and that’s what we are hoping for from Lakshya,” Padukone said.
Satwik-Chirag eliminated from Olympics 2024. @rawatrahul9 speaks to badminton legend Prakash Padukone. Listen in. #ParisOlympics #Olympics2024 #ITVideo | @NikhilNaz pic.twitter.com/mDDllTZfSh
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) August 2, 2024
Unfortunately, Prannoy bowed out of the competition after losing to Lakshya Sen. With this all-Indian clash, only Lakshya remains India’s hope in the men’s singles category.
As the Paris Olympics unfold, the clash between these two talented players signifies the unpredictable nature of sports and the resilience required to face tough opponents on the global stage.
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