Olympics 2024: Lakshya Sen, P V Sindhu storm into pre-quarterfinals

Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu made headlines at the Paris Olympic Games as they marched into the pre-quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Lakshya achieved a historic victory against third seed Jonatan Christie, becoming the third Indian to beat a seeded opponent in men's singles at the Olympics, while PV Sindhu defeated Kristin Kuuba in her final group match.

Parupalli Kashyap (London 2012) and Kidambi Srikanth (Rio 2016) are the two two Indian shuttlers who defeated seeded players at the Olympics.

Lakshya delivered an outstanding performance, defeating his highest-ranked opponent 21-18, 21-12 after trailing 2-8 in the opening game.

This victory marked a significant milestone for unseeded Lakshya who ended his four-match losing streak against Christie.

Meanwhile, Sindhu continued her dominant run, storming into the pre-quarterfinals after a commanding win over Kuuba of Estonia.

The two-time Olympic medallist registered a stunning 21-5, 21-10 win to top Group M and progressed to the pre-quarterfinals.

Sindhu had previously defeated Maldives' Fathimath Abdul Razzaq 21-9, 21-6 in her first match. As the winner of her group, Sindhu advanced to the round of 16.

Sindhu, who previously secured a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Games and a bronze in the Tokyo edition, is poised for another strong showing at this year's Games. Her consistent performance continues to inspire and raise hopes for another medal.

Interesting, Lakshya Sen could play H S Prannoy in the round of 16 should the latter beat his Vietnamese opponent in his final group match.