What: Lakshya Sen vs Viktor Axelsen, All England males’s singles ultimate.
When: Round 9.30 pm, March 20.
The place to observe: Streaming on Voot Choose or watch it on Historical past TV18 HD channel.
On Sunday, both India could have its first All England champion in 21 years or a bonafide famous person who’ll be trusted to carry it residence quickly sufficient.
Lakshya Sen is up towards an Olympic and former All England champion in addition to present world No 1 Viktor Axelsen within the ultimate. They’ve confronted one another 5 instances on the Tour earlier than with Axelsen profitable 4 of these encounters. Their most up-to-date match, final week, led to Lakshya pulling off a stunner within the clutch.
One is a man, who has sometimes bossed the massive events, and the opposite an ascendant on an unstoppable run, doing simply the identical effectively sufficient to make his maiden Birmingham ultimate.
Listed below are 5 areas the place the ultimate may very well be determined:
Sturdy defence
There are few issues that may wreck Axelsen’s perception greater than his spherical the top crosscourts being retrieved. They’re his showboating pictures. Pluck them and you may unsettle him. Lakshya must do loads of these. His defence has been near-unbreachable and he must maintain it ticking, cowl the gaps and put each shuttle again.
Internet play
Axelsen might be susceptible on the internet. Lakshya has to attract and drown the world No 1 in internet duels, tight spinning internet shot on tight spinning internet shot, like he did towards Lee Zii Jia within the semifinals.
Tempo
Tempo will probably be essential. Lakshya has to ration his all-out assaults, range tempo, and keep within the rallies. He’ll should unfurl his steep smashes judiciously for max influence.
Restoration
Axelsen will come into the ultimate because the least-stretched of the 2 from final night time. His semifinal towards Chou Tien Chen led to straight units and 48 minutes. Whereas Lakshya will probably be coming off a 76-minute lengthy bodily sapping encounter. His restoration will probably be key. Final week, after his three-game win over Axelsen on the German Open semifinal, he did not fairly appear to have the legs to play by the ultimate.
Early lead
Mentally, of the 2, Lakshya proper now seems to be the much less brittle one. Axelsen might be harangued if leads are snatched away from him, and he is falling behind on the shut. Whereas Lakshya thrives, revels and fashions his now-famed, highlight-reel worthy comebacks within the residence stretch. To get there, Lakshya has to place the lid on Axelsen’s run of factors early. Any early lead that he’s allowed, Axelsen sometimes bolts away with and shuts out his opponent shortly. Lakshya could have push forward in scores early if he needs to mess with Axelsen’s head.
