What numbers say about Lakshya Sen: World No 10 concedes too many points in row, struggles in crunch and is yet to quell Axelsen challenge

Sen aces a fewer match-ups, similar helium knows helium tin get the amended of Anthony Ginting 3-0 (Head 2 Head), Li Shi Feng (7-4), Lee Zii Jia (5-2) and Loh Kean Yew (6-3). But helium has besides mislaid the Youth Olympics golden to Shi Feng and Paris Olympics bronze to Zii Jia. But he’s compiling immoderate repetitive H2Hs against Viktor Axelsen (1-8 triumph loss), Anders Antonsen (2-5) and Kunlavut Vitidsarn (3-6), which tin spot astatine his assurance if not corrected intermittently.

Still, his triumph against Jonatan Christie to get retired of the radical contempt trailing him 2-4 successful vocation scores, connection hope.

Viktor: Points differential

According to Badminton World Federation records, Viktor Axelsen has scored a monolithic 110 points much than Sen successful their 9 matches (Sen has 297 points, Axelsen has 407, 1-8 H2H). Though the treble Olympic champ, has an implicit 100-point differential against each subordinate but Antonsen (4-6 H2H), Lee Zii Jia (3-7) and Li Shi Feng (1-0), determination is simply a nonstop correlation betwixt the wins teased retired of the towering Dane and the fig of points he’s allowed to fleece. Not lone does Sen request to support good against him, helium needs a acold larger fig of winners. The endgame from 18th constituent onwards is erstwhile Axelsen tin swamp – oregon beryllium swamped close back.

Kunlavut: The different headache

Sen’s constituent differential against his Thai modern Kunlavut Vitidsarn (points differential of -48) is peculiarly pesky to people off. Sen has 3 wins and 6 losses against the monkishly dependable subordinate with assortment successful changeable play. Sen has 2 wins, 4 losses against Christie (point differential of -5), Kodai Naraoka (-25) and Chou Tien Chen (Sen scored 316 points, ceded 315), each pointing to him staying successful contention successful the game, but not finishing good enough.

Sen has a dependable grip connected Li Shi Feng, the Chinese heir apparent, with a 7-4 H2H, and a steadfast +60 points differential. Sen volition not balk astatine the imaginable of facing him but the nonchalant intelligence clasp helium has implicit the Chinese, volition beryllium tested arsenic clip goes by.

Finishing woes

While losing 16-21, 21-12, 23-21 to Kenta Nishimoto astatine Indonesia Masters successful Round 1, could beryllium down to sub-par sharpness successful the 73 infinitesimal battle, Sen has intelligibly struggled to summon his clutch play, evident successful some Paris Olympic losses. At Jakarta, helium did good to travel backmost from 16-19 down successful decider to 19-all, but his changeable enactment and strategy got muddled arsenic helium navigated those 20-20, 21-21 situations successful stringing those 2-3 points together.

Against Lu Guang Zu astatine Denmark, different 3 setter, Sen was 21-12, 16-11 up, but utterly botched it from 17-17.
Like the Olympics bronze playoff, losing these leads erstwhile being moments distant from winning, wholly deflates him successful the third.

Against Axelsen astatine Paris, Sen led 15-9 and 20-17, but couldn’t convert. Against Anders Antonsen astatine the Indonesia Open, helium had 2 leads, 20-18 successful the first, and 16-14 successful second, and mislaid successful consecutive sets. The daze of holding the lead, past losing it, paralyses Sen wholly astatine the crunch arsenic helium approaches the decorativeness enactment arsenic if it was a barbed wire.

Slabs of blankness

A ‘wodge’ is simply a bully connection to picture the inexplicable bands oregon blocks of time-passages successful a Lakshya Sen lucifer erstwhile things spell south. The youngster is not mentally brittle by immoderate measure, helium has successful information scored celebrated wins nicking them astatine important times. But midway done a set, with nary informing whatsoever, Sen tin abruptly slump. Whether it’s a dip successful attraction oregon trying excessively hard, oregon simply letting the hostile bash his happening arsenic helium phlegmatically watches, lone his squad tin figure. But Sen is notorious for losing points successful a chunk.

Against Axelsen, Sen has abruptly conceded 6 points oregon much (once, adjacent 10 successful a row), a full 9 times, leaving the doorway ajar, and incapable to stem the flood. Zii Jia famously collected 9 successful a row, erstwhile helium took Paris bronze. He astir apt needs the bully ol’ slowing-down tricks to not get blown distant similar this. But conscionable erstwhile helium managed to restrict the likes of Antonsen and kept it tight, Sen bungles a finish.

Thrice present though, Sen has gone connected a 6+ constituent tally of his ain against Axelsen and inactive mislaid the match. These up and down bursts and cave-ins of vigor possibly request a median point, oregon staying successful the present, arsenic Kunlavut has mastered.