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The 22-year-old sensation from Almora displayed his prowess on the court, winning in straight games with a score of 21-12, 21-6. Sen’s impressive performance lasted a mere 39 minutes, showcasing his dominance over the world no.13 Prannoy.
With this win, Sen etched his name in the annals of Indian badminton history, becoming only the third male player from the nation to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympic badminton competition, reported PTI.
The young shuttler, who boasts a Commonwealth Games gold medal and a World Championships bronze from 2021, now joins the elite company of Parupalli Kashyap and Kidambi Srikanth. Kashyap had achieved the feat in the London Olympics in 2012, while Srikanth reached the quarterfinals in the Rio edition in 2016.
As the world no. 22, Sen now faces a formidable opponent in the quarterfinals – 12th seed Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei. The upcoming match promises to be an enthralling encounter, testing Sen’s skills and determination on the global stage.
“I think having tough matches gives you confidence. I am now ready to go deep into the tournament. It will be a tricky match against Chou, I have to go and recover well and give my 100 %,” Sen said after the match.
Sen displayed consistency in his defensive game and varied his offensive strategies effectively. On the other hand, Prannoy, who had competed in a three-game match the previous evening, appeared fatigued and offered little resistance during the 39-minute encounter.
Prannoy’s Olympic journey came to a close, despite his remarkable recovery from a recent bout of Chikungunya to participate in his first-ever Olympics.
Sen established an early lead of 7-4 and maintained control throughout the match. Prannoy appeared to be struggling, adopting an overly defensive approach, which left him constantly trying to catch up. Sen secured the first game with ease.
The second game was over in a flash, with Sen showcasing his solid form and quickly sealing the victory after maintaining his lead from start to finish.
