I cook and send food for him daily, he sometimes comes for 'champi': Lakshya Sen's mother

NEW DELHI: In a remarkable upset, India's rising badminton star Lakshya Sen advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the men's singles event at the Paris Olympics. Sen faced off against Indonesia's Jonatan Christie, the current World No.4 and reigning All-England champion, in a Group L encounter.Despite a sluggish start that saw him trailing 0-5 in the first game, Lakshya mounted an impressive comeback. The young Indian shuttler unleashed a barrage of points, not only erasing the deficit but also clinching the opening game 21-18. Carrying the momentum into the second game, Sen dominated his Indonesian opponent, securing a commanding 21-12 victory and sealing the match in straight games.Christie, who had previously clinched the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, was left stunned by Lakshya's resilience and skill. The Indian player's triumph over the highly-ranked Indonesian has undoubtedly boosted his confidence as he progresses further in the Olympic tournament.Following the conclusion of the match, Lakshya's mother Nirmala, who had traveled to Paris to cheer on her son, expressed her joy over his unforgettable victory in an interview with IANS.Nirmala revealed that Lakshya initiated a video call to her and conversed with his father and childhood coach to gather their thoughts on his performance. The proud mother also mentioned that Lakshya was eager to hear his father's perspective on the match, given his role as both a parent and his long-time coach."He was excited and wanted to speak to his father to know how he would react to the win. We are all happy for him and it's due to his hard work and support of everyone, coaches and others. We have been here with him in France for the past one month. He has been training in Marseille and before that, in Bengaluru," Lakshya's mother told IANS.She further said that she cooks food for him daily. "We have taken an apartment near the badminton arena and I cook food for him and send. He loves it. And sometimes he comes here for 'champi' (head massage). We all want him to do well for India."Asked if Lakshya is facing any issue in Games Village related to food, she said, "No, he just likes eating home-cooked food."