Lakshya Sen will be temporarily away from badminton to focus on his mental and physical health ©Getty Images

Lakshya Sen, men's singles gold medallist at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, has announced that he will be taking a break from badminton to focus on his mental and physical health.

The 21-year-old, who is also a gold medallist in the mixed team event at the 2018 Youth Olympics, has faced struggles in his play recently, falling to 25th in the world after he was sixth.

The Indian star did have a great start to 2022, winning the India Open Super 500 along with his Commonwealth gold in the men's singles and silver in the team event and the Thomas Cup.

"I wanted to take a moment to talk about the importance of taking a break, I've come to realise that sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to take a step back and recharge," Sen said in a social media post.

"So, I took a little break from the normal to focus on myself and bounce back from these setbacks.

Lakshya Sen won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham ©Getty Images
Lakshya Sen won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham ©Getty Images

"I was spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies I enjoy, and taking care of my mental and physical health.

"I've realised that it's not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength and self-awareness.

"Take care of yourselves, and I'll see you all soon."

He dropped to 25th in the world after losses in the second round of the All England Championships, failure to defend his title at the India Open and most recently making a first-round exit at the German Open last month.