Lakshya Sen loses bronze medal match at Paris 2024 Olympics
This turned out to be a heartbreaker as India’s Lakshya Sen lost the men’s singles bronze medal contest at Paris 2024 Olympics to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia. The final score during the contest at La Chapelle Arena read 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 in favor of the Malaysian player, thereby denying Sen the distinction of being the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in the men’s badminton event.
Badminton: Match Overview
The match ran for 71 minutes, another clear indication of just how great a fight these two athletes put in. Lakshya, the current world number 22, did well at the start by claiming the first game rather early. However, it was in the second game that tides began to change towards Lee Zii Jia, who turned it around to claim the third and, hence, the bronze medal.
His performance was less than the best since Sen suffered a bruise on his right forearm. It bled and needed taping throughout the contest. This must really have affected his game and consistency of delivering those powerful shots.
Strong Start but Mental Challenges
Lakshya Sen opened the contest with great vigor, racing to 6-2 in no time against Lee. The Indian shuttler Lakshya capitalized on Lee’s unforced errors at the beginning and also expertly used the court dimensions to his advantage. Getting line calls on his side, Sen continued with a comfortable lead of 11-5 at the first break.
He seemed to take that first game decisively at 17-12, as he followed up with winning four out of the next five points to seal the first game comfortably. The momentum changed in the second game. Sen could not quite find a way to engage and stay focused and composed against the determined Lee Zii Jia.
Second Game Turning Point
The second game began on the right note for Sen as the youngster fired a sensational cross-court smash to zoom in front at 7-2. But Lee Zii Jia had resumed his charge, making a phenomenal comeback to win five points on the trot to draw level at 8-8. The Malaysian refused to relent on the pressure applied to Sen as he entered the break with a 11-8 lead.
It was a fleeting Sen comeback, in which he managed to bring the match back to an even 12-12, before the turning point arrived in a period of five minutes when Sen could barely hold his ground against Lee, who would go on to dominate the match and push it into a deciding third game.
The Deciding Game: Lee Zii Jia in Total Dominance
In the third game, class and dominance marked Lee Zii Jia racing away to an early 9-2 lead, as Sen was struggling to get into rhythm. The Malaysian dictated terms of the rallies. Sen did fight back with a cross-court smash to bring the score to 9-3, but Lee got on quickly to make it 11-6 at the interval.
He held on to his lead of 16-8 after the break. Sen tried hard to bridge the gap, but he was finally pulled under pressure as he lost the match and, subsequently, the opportunity to win Olympic bronze.
Reflection Time
Notwithstanding the disappointment, Lakshya Sen has made a fabulous journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He had made history before stepping into the bronze medal match as the first Indian badminton player to go through to the semifinals in the men’s singles category. Previously, he defeated Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals and made his talent and will spellbound throughout the tournament.
This was Sen’s second loss to Lee Zii Jia in their head-to-head encounters, having beaten the Malaysian earlier in the year at the All England Open. That Sen has made it to the semifinals and played at this level in his Olympic debut shows he is a potential star in the making for badminton.
Looking Forward
Lakshya Sen said that though disappointed with the loss, he walked out of the Olympics with pride, knowing that he played really well. The lessons from competing with players like them are invaluable to him.
The badminton fraternity and fans are rallying behind him on the basis of the moot point that Lakshya Sen has a promising future ahead. His campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics set a strong base for the times to come, and he is still one of the main men to watch in future international events.
With the support of his fans and the Indian badminton community, Lakshya Sen will definitely look to build on this experience and continue to strive for success in the years to come. His dream does live on, and to attain that, he is all set to feature among the best in badminton with his colossal potential and unwavering resolve.
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