Sensational Lakshya shocks Christie, advances to the pre-quarterfinals

Lakshya Sen surprises Jonatan Christie with a comeback win in the men's singles match at the French Open.

Jonatan Christie might have been forgiven for thinking he’d won the point.

Down 18-19 in the first game in his Group L men’s singles match against Lakshya Sen, Christie would have thought he’d just pulled level.

After a furious flat exchange, he’d caught the Indian in a bad position and powered a drive to the wrong side of the right-handed Indian.

Christie had almost started celebrating as the shuttle nearly passed the 22-year-old Indian when at the last minute Lakshya whipped his racquet behind his back and returned the shot.

Christie was rushed into a shot and ended up hitting out. By conventional logic, Lakshya should not have won this point. Game point down soon became a game down. Lakshya would make the most of the opening as he wrapped the second game in double quick time to win 21-18, 21-12.

The Indonesian — who got off to a storming start, winning the first five points — walked off the court head bowed down in disbelief.

“I couldn’t figure out the drift in the first few minutes. The drift was coming in from behind me and Christie was just trying to pin me to the back. But once I got used to the conditions, it was a lot easier. From then onward it was just a matter of keeping that one or two point lead and closing out the game,” Lakshya said.