New Delhi: The dynamic duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty left a lasting impression, but Lakshya Sen’s meltdown in the Paris Olympics’ bronze medal match was frustration at its peak in a bitter-sweet season for Indian badminton during which moments of brilliance were often overshadowed by heartbreaks.
The Asian Games champions solidified their status as one of the world’s top pairs with titles at the French Open Super 750 and Thailand Super 500 and runners-up finishes at the Malaysia Super 1000 and India Super 750 but the Olympics remained an elusive dream for the second time in eight years as their campaign ended in disappointment with a quarterfinal exit in Paris. The heartbreaking loss saw their Danish coach Mathias Boe resign but the return of Malaysia’s Tan Kim Her, who is credited with bringing Satwik and Chirag together, by the end of the year, provided a much-needed boost.
For Sen, it was a case of so near and yet so far. He was the beacon of hope for India at Paris. His journey to the semifinals at the French Open and All England Champions early in the year revived his sagging form and reignited dreams of a maiden Olympic medal. However, the 23-year-old from Almora fell agonisingly short in the bronze medal match at the Olympics, a loss that will weigh heavily on him for a good amount of time. After a challenging return to the circuit, Sen’s title win at the Syed Modi International offered optimism for the upcoming season.
