There might be two opponents preventing Viktor Axelsen within the semifinal of the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
Lakshya Sen, the Indian, might want to discover himself an ally within the second unseen foe of the good Dane, the defending champion. That second invisible determine is the shadow of cloying expectations Axelsen’s wonderful previous casts on his current. A shadow of potential all-time greatness that may stalk him and develop longer, the nearer he will get to his second gold.
In his lopsided quarterfinal win in opposition to Loh Kean Yew, Axelsen who received 21-9, 21-17, received terribly stressed whereas the Singaporean was receiving medical consideration, getting a blood wound bandaged. The Dane was a set and 7-3 up, with little probability of the rating reversing. However when saved ready earlier than progressing, he leaked a couple of errors within the second.
HISTORY SCRIPTED 🥹🇮🇳
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Happy with you Lakshya, stick with it!
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He’s anticipated to bulldoze previous everybody, wanting ominous, having received in straight units, not cedeing greater than 17 factors as he needs to pack in one other gold that would put him equal with Lin Dan. However he’s additionally misplaced his mood in the previous few months when the opponent received defiant.
5 of the highest 6 ranked males’s singles gamers are out of the Olympics earlier than semifinals at Paris, with solely Axelsen lingering in Final 4. So his path is fairly cleared up. However the three who’re left are simmering with unfulfilled ambitions, paving a brand new path for themselves, unafraid if plans collapse, and they’re compelled to pivot on their toes. Axelsen, although, battles a shadow, the reminiscence of getting carried out this earlier than, of getting felt in excellent management and being dominant — albeit three years in the past.
The smallest of inconveniences, the tiniest of plans going off-kilter, and Sen’s Indian compatriot HS Prannoy had proven how Axelsen might be introduced to come back undone on the 2023 World Championships. He would possibly sip his cafe au lait or crisp espresso, waking up on the best facet of the mattress and feeling pinch-perfect. However can denying the overwhelming favorite Axelsen a fast entry into the finals to do his factor, delaying his march, set off the fuse in a 19-19 state of affairs? He’s a beast in finals, however does Axelsen see the semifinals in opposition to an unfancied opponent as a mere penultimate hurdle whereas he’s already dreaming up a double gold?
SEMI-FINAL BOUND! 🥵
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It’s in that getting forward of himself of the legendary Dane, that Sen will sense a tiny opening. Sen might be swatted apart, his retrieving sport not notably venomous. Axelsen’s assault can shred any protection, nonetheless persistent. However what if the Indian will get caught in, and forces a decider? Axelsen isn’t precisely invulnerable. He misplaced to Wang Tzu Wei at Paris in March, to Toma Junior Popov in European Championships and gave a walkover to Li Shifeng at his final event earlier than the Olympics. Two within the semifinals. Axelsen was taken down by an earnest Anthony Ginting at All England. He received Malaysia beating Lee Zii Jia, however not earlier than being dragged into a 3rd.
Over the previous few years since Tokyo, Axelsen has hosted many of the upcoming names for sparring stints in Dubai, and his foresight sees three of them in Paris semis. Sen himself hasn’t fairly received a title since autumn of 2022. He was additionally correctly schooled when going through Axelsen at All England finals in 2022, the beating amongst the 1-7 face to face scores.
However twice in these 8 faceoffs, most up-to-date ones, Sen went to a few. On the German Open, Axelsen didn’t know what hit him as Sen snuck a shock win with outrageous patches of aggression. At Singapore within the opening spherical, Sen was lurching, being a set and 6-9 down, earlier than he instantly upped the ante to stage scores. The Indian fizzled out, however at Paris he’s landed after a resurgence and was decided to make this run rely for a medal.
The strain of nailing a medal since he’s come this far can play methods on Sen too, and if Axelsen unleashes his torrent of monster smashes, it may very well be wrapped up in fast time. However Sen stayed undeterred even when Chou Tien Chen bombarded him. His protection won’t win each lengthy rally, however ought to Axelsen get a lot impatient, it might probably frustrate the Dane and provides Sen a toehold. If it’s about catching the rangy champ out of place, Sen has the concepts to scatter his focus. He’ll want empty areas to bore down his moderately sharp smashes, however Axelsen guards his backhand flank way more assiduously than Chen.
Sen, the inscrutable Indian with a sport that’s clear in its apparent limitations, is greatest positioned to harass Axelsen given it’s the semifinals. Preying on that endurance, and eyeballing him on the internet, may be the way in which to go, although he’ll must be near-perfect from the again the place he’ll be dispatched too in opposition to his will.
Axelsen, bronze in Rio, gold in Tokyo, is a heavy favorite in opposition to Lakshya Sen. The difficulty with chasing nothing however the gold, and an unprecedented third medal, is the way it could make you risk-averse. Sen isn’t the best opponent when you find yourself additionally shrugging off a shadow. His solely battle may be whether or not he sees himself good for a bronze or a gold.