Bindra, Sindhu, Mandaviya praise Lakshya after runner-up finish

New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) Olympic medallists Abhinav Bindra and PV Sindhu praised Lakshya Sen after his runner-up finish at the All England Open badminton championship in Birmingham on Sunday.

Lakshya fought with all his might but fell short of ending India's 25-year wait for an All England crown, losing 15-21, 20-22 to Chinese Taipei's Lin Chun-Yi in an intense men's singles final.

Bindra wrote on the social media platform, "Not every inspiring sporting story ends with a trophy. Over the last few days, Lakshya Sen has shown India what courage, resilience and belief truly look like.

"His run to another All England final, through extraordinary wins and immense physical pain, has been about far more than a result. He has reminded young India that greatness lies not only in winning, but in the honesty of effort, the dignity of the fight and the strength to keep believing. I am Proud of you." Lakshya's defeat meant that Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) remain the only Indians to have won the prestigious title, while Prakash Nath (1947) and Saina Nehwal (2015) had come closest with runner-up finishes before Lakshya's two final appearances.

In her praise for Lakshya, Sindhu tweeted, "Lin Chun Yi takes it 21–15, 22–20. Never easy to come back and play a final less than 24 hours after a brutal semifinal. Those matches really stay in the legs.

"I remember the 2021 All England Open Badminton Championships. I had a really long quarterfinal against Akane Yamaguchi, and the very next day had to step back on court for the semifinal against Pornpawee Chochuwong. Let me tell you, it's brutal.

"Lakshya still had a phenomenal week. Beating Shi Yuqi and Li Shifeng in the same tournament says a lot about the level he's playing at." The two-time Olympic medallist star added, "Tough loss, but smile Lakshya. For the general public, the All England Open Badminton Championships is often seen as the pinnacle because of its history and aura. But on the tour it is one of the four Super 1000 events we play every year, and opportunities keep coming." "With the kind of skill Lakshya has, weeks like this will keep repeating. Hopefully this momentum carries through the rest of the Super 1000s this season as well." Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya commended Lakshya for his spirited fight.

"Hard luck, Lakshya. Losing such a close All England final is still a commendable show. This was your second final in Birmingham, and that’s a massive feat for us to feel proud and happy about. You have a long way to go, young man. The entire nation is proud of you," Mandaviya wrote on 'X'.

Meanwhile, former India player and coach Vimal Kumar too lauded the performance of the young shuttler.

"A tough loss, but a very brave effort. Lakshya had a real chance to take the second game. However, the muscle fatigue he was carrying meant that towards the end he couldn't quite finish the rallies with his smashes — the punch just wasn't there at that stage.

"Despite that, he defended superbly against one of the most attacking players in world badminton.

"If he had managed to close out the second game, I strongly believe Lakshya would have drawn on his fighting spirit and taken the match into the third with great momentum.

"Even in defeat, it was a courageous performance and a reminder of the fighter he is," Kumar said. PTI AH AH APS APS