Lakshya Sen meets Badminton legend Lin Dan before King Cup opener, calls him ‘Absolute Idol’

India’s top shuttler, Lakshya Sen, is set to compete in the 2024 King Cup International Badminton Open, which will take place in Shenzhen, China from December 27 to 29. The tournament, which is not part of the BWF calendar and doesn’t affect players' rankings, is being launched by badminton legend Lin Dan, a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Before the tournament’s opening, Lakshya Sen met Lin Dan, an encounter he described as a special moment in his badminton career. Lakshya, who is also the Commonwealth Games champion, took part in the trophy presentation ceremony held on Thursday. He shared the experience with his followers on Instagram by posting pictures from the event, including one with Lin Dan, captioning it: “Honored to share space with the legend himself, @thereallindan absolute idol.”

The King Cup Tournament

The King Cup tournament will feature eight top men’s singles players, all battling for the inaugural title. Among the players are several prominent athletes, including Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who is a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics, and Denmark’s Anders Antonsen, the reigning world champion. Other players include 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore, Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long, and Frenchman Alex Lanier.

The Chinese players in the tournament include 18-year-old local talents Hu Zhe An and Wang Zi Jun, both ranked outside the top-100.

The tournament will follow a single-elimination format, with the first matchups featuring Lakshya Sen facing Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long in the quarter-finals on Friday. Other matchups will see Kunlavut taking on Antonsen and Lanier facing local star Zi Jun. Zhe An will also play against Kean Yew in his opening match.

Lakshya’s excitement to compete

Lakshya is excited to be competing in this prestigious tournament and to share the stage with badminton greats like Lin Dan. Meeting Lin, who has been a major influence on Lakshya’s career, was a memorable moment for the Indian player. Lakshya’s encounter with his “absolute idol” Lin Dan only adds to the thrill of participating in the King Cup.

Lakshya’s journey in the tournament will begin with the quarter-finals, and if he advances, he will continue competing through the semi-finals on Saturday. The third-place playoff and final will take place on Sunday, December 29.

Sunday will also feature an exhibition match between Lin Dan and Indonesian badminton legend Taufik Hidayat, who is also a retired player and won the 2004 Olympic gold. Lin Dan retired in July 2020 after the cancellation of the world tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This exhibition match will be a special moment for badminton fans as two of the sport’s most legendary players take the court together one last time.

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The King Cup promises to be an exciting event with fierce competition and thrilling matchups. Players like Lakshya Sen and Lin Dan, who have long been admired in the badminton world, bring extra excitement to the tournament, which has already sparked interest from fans around the globe. Lakshya’s appearance at this prestigious event is a significant step in his career, and the upcoming days of the King Cup will undoubtedly showcase the best of international badminton.

As the tournament kicks off, all eyes will be on the top players to see who takes home the inaugural King Cup title. With players like Lakshya Sen, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Anders Antonsen, and Lin Dan involved, fans can expect some thrilling and competitive badminton action over the next few days in Shenzhen.