Athletes are always said to live with a shadow version of themselves. During good times, it is trapped and enslaved, like a genie in a bottle. But in the not-so-good times, it rears its head and hovers over, like a haunting reminder of all the wrong choices made and the roads not taken.
Lakshya Sen has lived this life for the last two years. He was the toast of the nation in 2022, having won gold medals at the Thomas Cup, Commonwealth Games and India Open, and reached the final at the prestigious All England Open. However, 2023 was largely forgettable, with his only successes being the title at the Canada Open and the historic team silver at the Asian Games.
In October that year, he beat Shi Yu Qi, the current World No. 2, at the Asian Games, the kind of win that could have jump-started his return to form. Yet, he lost six straight first-round matches after that, stretching up to the 2024 India Open.
