Singapore Open: Lakshya Sen Goes Down Against Top-Ranked Viktor Axelsen In First Round

Sen who was handed a 13-21 loss in the first game, bounced back strongly to win the next game. Errors in the third and decisive game ended his Singapore Open in the first round itself.

Axelsen defeated Sen 13-21, 21-16, 13-21 to advance to the Round of 16.

Sen, who was coming into the tournament after a short break, got off to a terrible start trailing 3-14 at one point in the opening game. However, the Indian regained some form towards the end of the game but the lead was too much to overcome. Axelsen won the first game 21-13.

The top-ranked men's badminton player started well in the second game as well but Sen did not let the Dane get too far ahead. The Indian youngster turned the game from 14-14 scoreline and raced ahead to a 21-16 win.

Sen built on the confidence of his win in the second game to start strongly in the decider. The Indian shuttler put Axelsen under pressure early on in the game taking a 6-3 lead. The Danish superstar soon leveled the score at 10-10 and then gave no chance to Sen to come back into the match.

Axelsen bagged the deciding game 21-13 and won the match.

Sen had secured a Paris Olympics ticket after back-to-back semifinal finishes at the French Open and All-England Championships earlier this year. 

Earlier in the day, PV Sindhu earned a victory in straight games to enter the second round in the women's singles while K Srikanth faced a first round exit exit in the men's singles.