Lakshya Sen’s success no flash in the pan, says Prakash Padukone

badminton star Lakshya Sen may have gone down fighting to World No.1 Viktor Axelsen on Sunday in the men's singles final of the All England Open Badminton Championship in Birmingham, but Prakash Padukone, a legend of the sport, believes the youngster’s recent success is no flash in the pan. Sen was spotted at the age of 10 and has been nurtured at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy since then. The former All-England champion pointed to the consistency with which Sen has grown over the past six months.

“The recent leg of European tournaments has been very successful for Lakshya as he has beaten some of the players ranked within the top 5 in the world. This shows that his bronze medal victory at the World Championships a few months ago was not just a flash in the pan. Over the past six months, he has been one of the most consistent performers since the international circuit resumed.” On the qualities that stand out in the youngster, Padukone stated, “He is hardworking, focused, disciplined, dedicated, grounded and most importantly mentally very strong even while playing against players ranked higher.

He has shown this quality in abundance especially in the last two tournaments that he has played.” Padukone believes there are greater challenges ahead for the talented youngster. “This is never an easy task, especially for a youngster like Lakshya. He has truly announced his arrival on the world stage, but the greater challenge for him begins now.