NEW DELHI: A heartbroken Lakshya Sen on Monday struggled to explain his loss to Malaysia’s Jia Zii Lee in the bronze medal play-off, which ended his Olympic dream in Paris.
Sen, who started strong, eventually succumbed to Lee 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 in a 71-minute clash after the Malaysian staged a comeback in the second game.
“I started this match really good but I couldn’t hold the lead and then when he started playing well, it was hard for me to find answers in the rallies,” soft-spoken Lakshya said, his eyes staring into nothing.
“Overall, a bit disappointed with the results,” news agency PTI quoted Sen as saying.
The defeat marks the second time Sen lost from a leading position.
On Sunday, he had a three-game point advantage in the first game and a 7-0 lead in the second against Viktor Axelsen but eventually lost.
The losses dashed his hopes of becoming the first Indian male shuttler to win an Olympic medal.
Struggling to compare his losses, Sen said, “I don’t know. I really don’t know how to compare both of them. Both were really important matches and I don’t know.”
“At times when the score is crucial and you have to be mentally really strong. Credit to him, he played a solid game in the second half,” he said, suggesting that he could not take the pressure when Lee began his onslaught.
“There were some unforced errors. He was playing a really sharp game in the second half.”
It is not the first time that Sen faced a pressure situation in a big match, having competed and won medals at the Asian Games, Thomas Cup, and the World Championships.
Was it the pressure of Olympics?
“I will sit back and analyze what can I do better in the next tournament.”
Lakshya made it clear that minor injury to right elbow was not at all a factor in the end result.
“It’s a bruise and there was some blood coming out from the hand on the court. So that’s why they had to stop the play in between. Overall, the hand is okay.
Sen, who started strong, eventually succumbed to Lee 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 in a 71-minute clash after the Malaysian staged a comeback in the second game.
“I started this match really good but I couldn’t hold the lead and then when he started playing well, it was hard for me to find answers in the rallies,” soft-spoken Lakshya said, his eyes staring into nothing.
“Overall, a bit disappointed with the results,” news agency PTI quoted Sen as saying.
The defeat marks the second time Sen lost from a leading position.
On Sunday, he had a three-game point advantage in the first game and a 7-0 lead in the second against Viktor Axelsen but eventually lost.
The losses dashed his hopes of becoming the first Indian male shuttler to win an Olympic medal.
Struggling to compare his losses, Sen said, “I don’t know. I really don’t know how to compare both of them. Both were really important matches and I don’t know.”
“At times when the score is crucial and you have to be mentally really strong. Credit to him, he played a solid game in the second half,” he said, suggesting that he could not take the pressure when Lee began his onslaught.
“There were some unforced errors. He was playing a really sharp game in the second half.”
It is not the first time that Sen faced a pressure situation in a big match, having competed and won medals at the Asian Games, Thomas Cup, and the World Championships.
Was it the pressure of Olympics?
“I will sit back and analyze what can I do better in the next tournament.”
Lakshya made it clear that minor injury to right elbow was not at all a factor in the end result.
“It’s a bruise and there was some blood coming out from the hand on the court. So that’s why they had to stop the play in between. Overall, the hand is okay.
