It seemed Priyanshu Rajawat was waiting for a rematch with Lakshya ever since the defeat in the Japan Open last year.
In the decisive round of the opening match at India Open on Tuesday, Priyanshu Rajawat displayed a determined focus, having navigated the pressure in the previous game to even the scoreline against his close friend, Lakshya Sen. Priyanshu asserted control by securing three consecutive points in the third game, maintaining a substantial lead that visibly frustrated Lakshya.
Despite a spirited effort from Lakshya, who intensified his gameplay and narrowed the gap to 7-10, Priyanshu’s moment of brilliance came with a remarkable cross-court smash that penetrated Lakshya’s defence. Lakshya loudly grunted and released his racquet, which slid across the court.
In an all-India fixture on the opening day of the premier home tournament, Rajawat emerged on top as Lakshya’s poor form continued. In a gruelling hour-and-15-minutes-long match on Court 2, Rajawat prevailed 16-21, 21-16, 21-13 against Lakshya, who faced his second-successive first-round loss this year.
At 21, Rajawat has been on the circuit for quite some time, training alongside prominent players such as Lakshya and HS Prannoy. His breakthrough moment, however, came in April of the previous year when he clinched victory at the Orleans Masters.
This campaign also included a notable straight-game win over Japan’s star shuttler, Kenta Nishimoto. However, Rajawat’s journey has been marked by maintaining consistency in his performances, a hurdle accentuated by back swelling that plagued his progress a little over the last month.(HT)