Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen lost the bronze medal match to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia at the Paris Olympics, ending India's badminton campaign without a medal.
Sen started strong, but Lee's nine-point streak in the second game changed the match. Lee won 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 in 71 minutes.
"I had my chances in the second set and could have definitely done better. But credit to him, he played a really good game. I think at the moment I'm just not able to think right now," Sen said. "I came well prepared for this match as well. It has been quite a tough week overall. But yeah, the fatigue kept on building. But I mean, I was ready to give my 100 percent in this match."
Sen needed medical attention multiple times for an injured right arm. He played well in the first 30 minutes, but after Lee's comeback, Sen seemed to lack a backup plan.
This loss means India will return without a badminton medal from the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. Only Saina Nehwal (2012) and PV Sindhu (2016, 2021) have won Olympic badminton medals for India.
Men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also did not win medals, ending India's badminton campaign on a disappointing note. Sen aimed to become India's first male shuttler to win an Olympic medal.
The match began with a long rally, but Sen gained an early lead by targeting Lee's backhand. Sen led 11-6 at the break, with Lee struggling to keep up. Lee's only smart play was a surprise overhead drop shot that caught Sen off guard.
Sen won the first game with a fast backhand, but in the second game, after leading 8-3, he lost nine straight points.
Lee made it 12-8 and won the game, forcing a decider. In the final game, Lee's powerful smashes and movement overwhelmed Sen, who struggled to return the shots. Lee won the match with a body smash.
Sen had to replace his bandage three times during the match, which affected his momentum.
"In between the points the blood was on the floor so they had to wipe it. Sometimes, I was losing the momentum of just having a break in the game and then coming again and trying to refocus on the match. But overall the hand is okay," Sen said.
(With inputs from PTI)
(Photo credit: PTI)
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