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Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen suffered an inexplicable meltdown and missed out on an Olympic medal, taking place in three video games to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia within the bronze play-off on the Paris Video games on Monday. A fired-up Sen was unstoppable to start with however a nine-point streak from Lee within the second recreation modified the complexion of the match because the world quantity 7 Malaysian registered a 13-21 21-16 21-11 win in a 71-minute conflict to safe the bronze.
“I had my probabilities within the second set and will have undoubtedly achieved higher. However credit score to him, he performed a extremely good recreation. I feel in the meanwhile I am simply not in a position to assume proper now,” a crestfallen Sen mentioned after the match.
“I got here properly ready for this match as properly. It has been fairly a troublesome week general. However yeah, the fatigue saved on constructing. However I imply, I used to be prepared to provide my 100 per cent on this match.”
Sen, who wanted medical consideration a number of occasions for a injured proper arm, regarded indomitable within the first half-hour however as soon as Lee gathered himself from a place the place he was down by a recreation and trailing 3-8 in second, the Indian didn’t appear to have a plan ‘B’.
Sen want to switch his bandage, which was coated an damage, thrice in the course of the match, resulting in a number of stoppages in play.
The Indian mentioned it affected his momentum.
“In between the factors there was blood was on the ground in order that they needed to wipe it. Generally, I used to be dropping the momentum of simply having a break within the recreation after which coming once more and attempting to refocus on the match. However general the hand is okay,” he mentioned.
His loss implies that it could be the primary time in 12 years that India will return and not using a badminton medal from the Olympics.
Solely Saina Nehwal (2012) and PV Sindhu (2016, 2021) have received Olympic medals for India on the largest sporting stage with the latter’s silver in Rio being one of the best efficiency.
The medal-favourite males’s doubles pair of Satwaiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had additionally returned empty-handed as India’s badminton marketing campaign ended on a disappointing observe.
A key member of the Indian badminton crew and part of the historic Thomas Cup profitable squad, Sen was gunning to change into India’s first male shuttler to win an Olympic medal.
The match started with an extended rally however Sen hit prime gear early. The Indian largely performed on the backhand facet of his rival, logging simple factors as there was no struggle in any respect.
The calculated drop photographs arrange simple factors for Sen as he drew his rival on the forecourt. Even the Malaysian tried to play on backhand of Sen however the India was hardly perturbed, main 11-6 on the break.
There was no sting or intent in Lee’s photographs as he simply performed very defensive and was catching as much as erase the deficit which was growing with every shot.
The one sensible play by the Malaysian was when he jumped for an overhead smash however dropped the shuttle ahead, catching Sen fallacious footed after which got here up with a winner in open court docket.
Sen closed the primary recreation when he hit a lightning quick backhand and Lee’s return sailed over the baseline.
The second recreation additionally began on an analogous observe as very quickly, Sen zoomed to a 8-3 lead after peppering Lee on his backhand.
Sen appeared to be pulling away however then there was a twist within the story when he misplaced 9 straight factors permitting the Malaysian to fightback into the competition.
There have been returns, physique smash and most significantly an intent from Lee who started shifting the Indian on each side of the court docket.
From 3-8, the Malaysian made it 12-8 and ran away with the sport, forcing a decider.
Lee made a strong begin to the sport with ferocious smashes and continued with the technique to run away with the sport and match as Sen’s assault utterly fell aside.
Even when Sen was in an advantageous place to kill the purpose, like at 2-7, he couldn’t with Lee making unimaginable restoration and motion together with his reflexes and highly effective photographs.
A commanding 9-4 lead and momentum on his facet, Lee saved going laborious at Sen, who was struggling to return the smashing returns. It led to the identical trend, as Lee despatched a physique smash which the Indian couldn’t return.
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