Yoo the man: Lakshya Sen of India will have Yoo Yong-sung to help him prepare for the Olympics. — AP
PETALING JAYA: Indian men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen has enlisted South Korean doubles coach Yoo Yong-sung again to help him in his preparations for the Paris Olympics.
Lakshya, who is set to make his debut in the Olympics, worked with Yong-sung in 2022 and is set to take the innovative approach of training under the doubles specialist again in his bid to shine in Paris.
Yong-sung had a short coaching stint in the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2012 and he is a two-time Olympic silver medallist with Lee Dong-soo.
Lakshya and his team which include his coach in the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, Vimal Kumar believed it will be beneficial to add doubles intensity in his singles training routines.
“The intensity with which coach Yoo applies can help me with my flat game and the drives and also, with the defence when someone is attacking, and then how to counter it,” said Lakshya in an interview with the Indian Express.
“And also a lot of quick, tight, skill work, like taps on the net. I think doing doubles drills makes you even more alert and sharpens the singles game.”
Vimal said: “Singles sequences are important but for improving pace of play, especially towards the end of games, doubles training helps.
“The sheer monotony with which the singles routines are done can sometimes get boring. I feel that when the doubles aspect is introduced, players enjoy training more.
“The pace increases and racquet preparation and reflexes is taken care of.”
Yoo Yong-sung
Lakshya started working with Yong-sung again after the Indonesian Open early last month.
Under the Korean in 2022, the world No. 14 captured gold in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and won the Indian Open title.
Lakshya also played an important role in India’s historic Thomas Cup triumph in Bangkok.
The 22-year-old will be unseeded in the Olympics but is capable of upsetting the big guns.
India have never won a medal in the men’s singles before and Lakshya has the opportunity to create history for his country.
He will be joined in Paris by teammate and last October’s Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist H. S. Prannoy.
The badminton competition in the Olympics will be held from July 27 to Aug 5 at the Adidas Arena in Porte de la Chapelle.
