Sen loses bronze play-off to Lee, India's badminton campaign over

Young Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen suffered an inexplicable meltdown and missed out on an Olympic medal,going down in three games to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the bronze play-off at the Paris Games here Monday.

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A fired-up Sen was unstoppable in the beginning but a nine-point streak from Lee in the second game changed the complexion of the match as the world number 7 Malaysian registered a 13-21 21-1621-11 win in a 71-minute clash to secure the bronze.

"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," a crestfallen Sen said after the match.

"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 per cent in this match." Sen, who needed medical attention multiple times for a injured right arm, looked indomitable in the first 30 minutes but once Lee gathered himself from a position where he was down by a game and trailing 3-8 in second, the Indian did not seem to have a plan 'B' His loss means that it would be the first time in 12 years that India will return without a badminton medal from the Olympics.