Why Lakshya Sen's form has seen a sharp decline?

The 21-year-old has failed to progress beyond Round 2 in any of the tournaments he has played during the 2023 circuit.

When it comes to past performances, Lakshya Sen has risen to stardom in Indian Badminton. The year 2022 started on a high note for Lakshya Sen as he clinched the title in the men's singles final at the India Open by defeating the reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew.

Lakshya Sen also impressed in the early stages of the European circuit, where he displayed his dominance on the badminton court. The then 20-year-old emerged as the runner-up in the All England Badminton Championships and German Open tournaments.

Lakshya Sen also delivered while playing for the Indian badminton team in one of the most memorable comebacks in Indian badminton history when he overturned an 8-21 deficit in the opening game of his first singles match against Indonesia's Anthony Ginting in the Thomas Cup final, securing a thrilling victory for India. He also played a crucial role in securing a silver medal for the Indian mixed-team event.

Lakshya Sen also achieved another remarkable feat by clinching a gold medal in his maiden appearance at the Commonwealth Games 2022, adding to his impressive list of accomplishments. The leading badminton player of the country was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2022 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in badminton.

However, the athlete's current performance is a far cry from his past successes. Lakshya Sen has started the 2023 international circuit on a disappointing note, experiencing a noticeable dip in form after a successful 2022 season. Here, we are exploring the factors affecting Lakshya Sen's recent performance slump -

Struggles in Early 2023 Badminton Circuit:

Lakshya Sen's form in badminton has been below par in the six recent tournaments he participated in post his Commonwealth triumph. He failed to advance beyond the second round in any of them.

In the Malaysia Open, he lost to his Indian teammate HS Prannoy in a close match that ended with a score of 22-24, 21-12, 21-18.

Lakshya redeemed himself in the India Open by defeating Prannoy in the first round with scores of 21-14, 21-15 but was eliminated in the second round by Dane Rasmus Gemke with scores of 16-21, 21-18, 21-15.

In the German Open, he faced French player Christo Popov, who kept him on the defensive and won 21-19, 21-16.

Lakshya started well in the All England Open by beating Chou Tien Chen 21-18, 21-19, but lost his next match to Anders Anderson of Denmark 13-21, 15-21, where he played poorly and made errors.

In the Swiss Open, he lost to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Liu with scores of 18-21, 11-21. Lastly, Lakshya Sen's campaign ended in the opening round of the Asia Badminton Championship and was eliminated by World No. 7, Loh Kean Yew in a 7-21, 21-23 loss.

Burnout Takes its Toll

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Men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen, who had slipped down to World No. 25 in the BWF rankings after suffering a tough opening-round defeat against Lee Cheuk Yiu at the Swiss Open Super 300 tournament, announced on his Instagram post that he was "taking a step back". The 21-year-old emphasized the importance of taking a break and focusing on oneself to bounce back from setbacks.

In his post, Lakshya said, "I wanted to take a moment to talk about the importance of taking a break. I’ve come to realize that sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to take a step back and recharge. So, I took a little break from the normal to focus on myself and bounce back from these setbacks."

He did not compete in the Madrid Spain Masters and Orleans Masters, a Super 300 tournament in France. Despite the break, Lakshya Sen’s journey ended prematurely in the first round of the Asia Badminton Championship.

Persistent battles with poor health

Lakshya Sen's performance suffered due to his frequent bouts of illness, particularly during European tours. He had a deviated nasal septum, which caused difficulties in breathing so the player underwent septoplasty surgery towards the end of last year to correct the condition.

Though it was a minor surgery, it took a considerable amount of time for Lakshya to fully recover from it, as noted by his coach Vimal Kumar.

Off-court controversies

Towards the end of last year, a case was filed against Lakshya Sen, his parents, brother and coach for alleged age manipulation, sending shockwaves through the Indian badminton community.

Police in Bengaluru had filed a case against Lakshya Sen and his coach Vimal Kumar at the Padukone Academy on allegations of falsifying the player's age. According to a complaint filed by a person who runs another badminton academy in the city, Sen's parents colluded with the coach to forge a birth certificate that would allow the player to participate in age-restricted tournaments.

The Central Vigilance Commission reviewed the birth documents and found no grounds for taking action against them and they were granted relief in the age fraud FIR case. The Karnataka High Court has suspended the criminal proceedings against Lakshya and his coach based on a petition they filed.

Burdened by Expectations

Athletes are often under immense pressure to perform at their best. While such expectations can serve as a motivation for some athletes, they can also negatively impact their physical and mental well-being leading to a decline in performance. When players struggle to meet their expectations, they may face criticism from the fans, coaches and media, which adds to their struggle. It is crucial for high performance athletes to find a balance between striving for excellence and managing expectations to ensure their success.

In spite of being a top-ranked Indian player, Lakshya has taken a rocky road in 2023 and seen a dip in performance following the Commonwealth Gold, which is a cause for concern as good performances in these events could have put him in good stead for selection to represent India in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. With the selection process starting in May 2023, it is imperative that Lakshya improve his game, as he is a crucial player who can help India achieve success in badminton.