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Lakshya says he will treat it like a final but was not thinking too much about the heartbreak of the Olympics last year (File).
Lakshya Sen has the unenviable task of facing the world No 1 Shi Yu Qi in the very first round of the BWF World Championships in what is potentially the most exciting match to watch out for on the opening day in Paris on Monday, and the Indian shuttler says he will treat it like a final but was not thinking too much about the heartbreak of the Olympics last year at this very venue.
“I’m not thinking on those lines,” Lakshya told BWF on whether Paris 2025 Worlds was a shot at redemption for Paris 2024 Olympics. “That adds extra pressure. I have not had a good season from the start of this year. I’ve been motivated. I’ve been putting in the work. So it’s about staying motivated, staying hungry to win. I have to really be in there, keep fighting for those moments. And yes, things will change. It’s a good opportunity for me, to play him in the early rounds. He can be a really tricky opponent up in the semifinals or quarterfinals or the final. He’s been very, very strong, very consistent.”
Lakshya trails 1-3 in the head-to-head against China’s top seed Shi, who has won three Super 1000 titles this year and is the favourite to clinch what has been an elusive Worlds gold. But Shi too endured a Paris 2024 to forget as he lost in the quarterfinals. For Lakshya, however, it was even more tough to handle, as he was leading in the semifinal against Viktor Axelsen as well as against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match, before going on to lose both matches at the Adidas Arena last year.
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“In the beginning it was tough to even remember it,” Lakshya said, about his Olympics campaign where he finished fourth. “But over time I’ve realised that there were a lot of positives from that campaign. Now I try to find the few good things out of that and try and remember it in a better way that helps me grow as a person and become stronger mentally. What has happened has happened.”
Lakshya has endured a tough 2025, though, losing early in almost all of the tournaments he has featured in, and reaching the quarterfinals only twice (one of those, he went on to play semis at Macau Open recently). In their meeting at the prestigious Indonesia Open earlier this year – also in the first round – Lakshya overcame a mid-match slump to push Shi all the way but eventually lost a 65-minute contest 11-21, 22-20, 15-21.
“Coming here, I’m really excited to play good badminton. Before the Olympics, the French Open was really good for me. It’s a good stadium and I like playing in these conditions. It’s a tough draw for me. So from the first round, I’ll treat it as a final,” Lakshya – now ranked 21 in the world – said about his meeting with the top seed on Monday,
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Other Indians in action on the opening are Priya Konjengbam–Shruti Mishra and Panda sisters — Rutuparna and Swetaparna — in women’s doubles. In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruben Rethinasabapathi will be on court. The rest of the contingent, including the likes of PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy and Satwik-Chirag will begin their campaigns on Tuesday.
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