Deepika Padukone with Lakshya Sen.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen, who was seen as a potential podium finisher during the Paris Olympics 2024 even before the first match was held, fell short in the semifinal against Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and then against Malaysia's Lee Zee Jia in the bronze-medal shootout.
Sen had already made history by becoming the first male badminton player to ever make it to the semifinal in the Olympics. However, the 23-year-old was left dejected after the match
"After the match, I was devastated. It's going to hurt for a while that I couldn't give India the medal at this Olympics. I knew I was going to face Viktor Axelsen in the match and the way I had prepared, things were fine. Overall, I had the right tactics. I had the right approach. At the crucial stages I could have been a little more clinical," Lakshya said in a chat with Humans of Bombay.
"Now that I sit back and think, I know there are some things that I could have done better. Everything was fine, but towards the end, I wasn’t able to get there," he added.
Disappointed by the loss, his mentor Prakash Padukone said it's high time that players learn to withstand pressure, take responsibility, and deliver results after receiving significant support from the government.
"We cannot remain satisfied just having one player. We need to focus on the next line, maybe even the third line. And a little bit of effort from the players also. A little more responsibility, a little more accountability. Not just ask for whatever you ask for. Once you are given that, you also have to be accountable. I think the players have to learn to take responsibility," Padukone had said.
However, Lakshya has said that “Prakash sir has been like a mentor and father figure to him" and even his daughter and actor Deepika Padukone reached out to him and comforted him with her words.
"They have been really supportive. Even after the bronze medal match, she called me and said 'It's fine; don't worry. You did good.' Prakash sir has been like a mentor and father figure to me. It's always nice to talk to them if I want any advice or want to talk to them freely,” he said.