Olympics 2024 Badminton: Lakshya Sen Knocks Out HS Prannoy To Reach Quarterfinal; Satwik-Chirag Crash Out

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Lakshya Sen kept Indian men's challenge alive in Paris Olympics 2024 badminton competition with an easy straight games win over compatriot HS Prannoy in the singles round of 16 clash on Thursday (August 1).

The 22-year-old from Almora, a reigning Commonwealth Games champion and a 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist, looked in complete control as he notched up a 21-12 21-6 win over world no. 13 Prannoy in a 39-minute pre-quarterfinal clash.

Sen joined Parupalli Kashyap and Kidambi Srikanth, who had reached the quarterfinals in the London and Rio edition of the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016 respectively. Currently ranked 22, Sen will face 12th seed Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen in the quarterfinals.

"I think having tough matches gives you confidence. I am now ready to go deep into the tournament. It will be a tricky match against Chou, I have to go and recover well and give my 100 %," Sen said after the match.

Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for medal hopes and former world number one pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty after the duo crashed out of the men's doubles event following their defeat against Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh in the quarter-finals.

Despite starting the knockout stage on a dominating note, Satwik-Chirag's hopes of returning to India with an Olympic medal were eventually crushed. With a 21-13, 14-21, 16-21 loss, Satwik and Chirag bowed out of the Paris Olympics.

The duo, who had come into the Olympics on the back of some good form, were backed to clinch a medal, but their quest of winning the country's first-ever doubles medal ended in the first knock out round.

Later, two-time Olympic medallist Indian shuttler PV Sindhu will also look to join Sen in reaching the quarterfinal when she faces He Bingjiao in the women's singles round of 16 match, which also happens to be the rematch from Tokyo 2020 Olympics bronze medal clash.