Lakshya Sen Opens Up About Losing Momentum and Finishing 4th in Paris Olympics Badminton

Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen experienced a sudden collapse and missed out on an Olympic medal, losing to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the bronze play-off at the Paris Games on Monday. Sen, who started strongly, was unable to maintain his lead as Lee staged a comeback in the second game, eventually winning the match 13-21 21-16 21-11 in 71 minutes to claim the bronze medal.

After the match, a disappointed Sen acknowledged his missed opportunities in the second set and praised Lee’s performance. “I was well-prepared for this match and gave my best despite feeling fatigued. However, Lee played exceptionally well,” said Sen.

“I had to change my bandage multiple times during the match due to an injury, which disrupted my momentum,” Sen added.

Sen’s defeat means that India will not bring home a badminton medal from the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. Saina Nehwal (2012) and PV Sindhu (2016, 2021) are the only Indian shuttlers to have won Olympic medals so far.

Sen, a key member of the Indian badminton team, was aiming to become India’s first male shuttler to win an Olympic medal.

The match started with a long rally, with Sen dominating early on. He utilized calculated drop shots to earn points and closed out the first game with a lightning-fast backhand shot.

In the second game, Sen initially took the lead but lost nine consecutive points to allow Lee back into the match. Lee’s powerful smashes and aggressive play led him to victory in the second and third games.

Despite Sen’s efforts, Lee’s strong performance proved too much to handle, resulting in Sen’s defeat and the end of India’s badminton campaign at the Olympics.