Lakshya Sen vs Lee Zii Jia highlights, Badminton Paris Olympics 2024 Bronze Medal Match: Lakshya Sen ends in 4th place

Denmark's Viktor Axelsen defeated Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, 11-21 11-21, to successfully defend the men's title.
Upon winning, Axelsen wrapped a Danish flag around himself and did a victory lap before giving his badminton racket to a child in the crowd.
"To win here in front of I don't know how many thousands of Danish supporters as well," said Axelsen, who spoke with the King of Denmark, Frederik X, after winning his country's first gold medal in Paris. "To do it once is crazy, to do it twice is -- I don't know what to say, I'm still a little bit in shock."
Axelsen becomes only the second men's singles shuttler to win consecutive gold medals after China's Lin Dan, widely thought to be the best badminton player of all time as a twice Olympic gold medallist and a five-times World champion.
"Lin Dan is the G.O.A.T. for me... I'm just very, very happy and proud to be on the same level in Olympic terms but in my eyes he stands as the best ever," Axelsen said.
Ranked eighth in the world, Vitidsarn's silver was Thailand's first badminton Olympic medal in history, and first medal in Paris across all sports.
Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia bagged the bronze after defeating India's Lakshya Sen, 13-21 21-16 21-11, at the Port de La Chapelle Arena in Paris on Monday.

(Reuters)

Indonesia's Gregoria Tunjung took the women's singles bronze by default as her would-be opponent, Spain's Carolina Marin, was forced to retire midway through her women's singles semi-final against China's He on Sunday with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. 

"We met in the medical centre after the matches," Tunjung said, adding that Marin congratulated her. "Carolina said her condition was very bad. I hope she can continue playing badminton."

South Korea's An Se-young beat He Bingjiao of China 21-13 21-16 to capture the badminton women's singles Olympic gold medal, 

An was already the women's singles world's number one and world champion. Her presence on court has been compared to that of China's Lin Dan.

On Monday, An had large bandages strapped around her right leg, which she injured at the 2023 Asian Games. She had to withdraw during the 2024 India Open in January after causing further damage.

"My injury was very difficult to overcome. At first there was a little bit of a misdiagnosis," An said, adding by the time they rediagnosed it there was very little time before the Olympics. "My coach helped me through. I always try to dream big and have the confidence that I can achieve that dream," An said. "My golden age is not here yet because I'm still young. I will be able to show better games to you."

The 22-year-old An powered through in Paris, as her controlled pacing finished off He, with the pair at one point delivering a rally that lasted nearly a minute. South Korea fans came to the arena in droves to chant the name of their last hope of a Paris gold medal in badminton. The country is the sport's third-most successful at the Olympics after China and Indonesia, medalling at least once in each Games since badminton became an Olympic sport in 1992.

"When I go home," said An, "I'll go with a champagne bottle in my hand."

(Reuters)

"I'm absolutely gutted. Soul crushing. Lakshya. But proud of him. There are already 5 athletes/events where India has finished 4th at Paris 2024. It is very hard on them, their families & people who work with them 24/7. There is a time to be tough on our athletes and there is a time to be empathetic. Understanding what to do when is crucial," posts former Indian hockey team captain Viren Rasquinha after Lakshya Sen lost the fourth place match.

In the space of 24 hours, Lakshya Sen has lost two heartbreaking contests. On Sunday, he lost the semi-final to Viktor Axelsen in a game where he held winning positions multiple times. And then in the bronze medal game, he claimed the first game but went on to lose the remaining two against Lee Zii Jia. 

After the defeat to Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal game, Lakshya Sen gave a short interview to the broadcaster. 

"I could have definitely done better in the second set. Credit to Lee, he played a really good game," Lakshya Sen told JioCinema after his defeat to Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match. 

Lakshya Sen also opened up on the injury that impacted his performance in the match: "In between the sets, my blood was on the floor, and they had to wipe it. I was losing the momentum by having a break in the game, coming again, and trying to refocus on the match."

Lakshya Sen was also asked if fatigue played a part in the defeat to Lee today (after yesterday’s bruising loss to Viktor Axelsen) : "I came prepared for both matches. I think it has been a tough week overall and fatigue kept on building. I was ready to give my 100% in this one."

Prakash Padukone not holding back after Lakshya Sen’s defeat in the bronze medal match to Lee Zii Jia. 

The badminton legend was in Lakshya Sen’s corner throughout the Paris Olympics, where Lakshya made history by becoming the first male shuttler from India to reach the semifinals of the Olympics. 

Lakshya lost the semi-final to Viktor Axelsen in a game where he held winning positions multiple times. And then in the bronze medal game, he claimed the first game but went on to lose in three games to Lee Zii Jia. 

“I am not happy. Vimal (Kumar) is also not happy with the fourth position of Lakshya. Because he could have definitely got a medal. A lot of people might say… Axelsen might say Lakshya is the next best. That's not good enough. I mean there was a possibility, if he had lost comfortably to Jonathan Christie, okay then it was a different issue. But having come this far, when he had an opportunity, he was leading. Of course he is still young. But he must realize this himself and not give it as an excuse. Can’t say I want more, I want more. Okay, then you work harder. Take some responsibility and work hard. I think if you do that, I think we can get better results. Because I think in terms of facilities, I don't think anybody can do anything more," Prakash Padukone told journalists after the game. 

Meanwhile, in the gold medal match, reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen defends his gold medal after destroying current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 21-11, 21-11.

How rare is that scoreline in a final with the Olympic gold medal on the line!  

Axelsen's initial reaction after winning that gold was not even that expressive. He just smiles at his coaches, and walks up to them for a few celebratory words. it's only a few minutes later he heads to the crows and does a lap around the main court with the Danish flag.  

This is Viktor Axelsen's third medal at the Olympics, two of which are gold. 

In the women's singles semifinal, Carolina Marin had won the first game and was leading in the second game against China's He Bing Jiao when she collapsed to the floor in agony due to an injury. She tried to continue with a brace, but finally had to end her bid to end her campaign in tears.

BWF reported that a 'sobbing Marin refused the offer of a wheelchair, hobbled out of the arena and left the venue an hour later on crutches, with heavy strapping to her right knee.'

So how does He Bing Jiao honour Marin? By carrying a pin with Spain's flag on the podium for the medal ceremony of the women's singles event. 

(Photos via Associated Press)

In the men's singles final for the gold medal, reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen is absolutely blowing current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand out of the park.

Even the Thai shuttler is now walking around with a wry smile. He has been at his wits end to try and do something to halt the Dane's march towards another gold medal. 

Axelsen holds an 16-3 lead over Vitidsarn in the second game of the final after winning the first one. 

#Badminton #Paris2024 #Olympics

A concern for Lakshya that's been around for a while... when he loses momentum, he ends up losing a bunch of points in a row. That's ended up costing him the medal today, essentially. pic.twitter.com/5OgrxvjqCu

— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) August 5, 2024

Axelsen leading 7-3 in the second game now against Kunlavut Vitidsarn. The Thai shuttler is absolutely belting his smashes, but Axelsen is just returning his shots with the gentle flicks of his wrist. Very intriguins clash to watch. 

Game 2: Viktor Axelsen 7-3 Kunlavut Vitidsarn 

In the gold medal match, reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen is putting on a badminton masterclass against the current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.

Looking to retain his Olympic title from Tokyo, Axelsen has claimed the first game 21-11 in just 24 minutes.

Take a look at the stats from the Lakshya Sen vs Lee Zii Jia game. (Lakshya's stats on the right)

Meanwhile in the men's singles final between reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and current world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, Axelsen is up 11-5 in the first game. 

He'd beaten Lakshay in the semi-final on the way to confirming what will be his third Olympic medal. 

Malaysian Lee Zii Jia salvaged a bronze for Malaysia, for they've aimed for gold and settled for silver for years. Winning Oly medals can be so damn difficult. India's first in 4 Games without a badminton medal. 

The last set Lakshya Sen just completely came apart. His defense did. The errors, literally in single digits in Axelsen match, just proliferated after he lost that 8-3 lead. LZJ simply stuck to a rampaging attack, and Sen couldn't absorb the bombarding.

Dipankar Bhattacharya, Nikhil Kanetkar, Pullela Gopichand, Anup Sridhar, Parupalli Kashyap, Kidambi Srikanth, B Sai Praneeth, HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen. 

Things. Jus. Fall. Apart. If you are Indian male at the Badminton in Olympics

A brave week from the Indian Lakshya Sen ends in heartbreak as he finishes fourth in the men's singles event. He lost 21-13, 16-21, 11-21 to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia. India remain at three medals from the Paris Olympics, with all three of them bronze and all coming from shooters. 

Lakshya Sen still made history at Paris, becomign the first male shuttler from India to reach the semi-finals. One fears that he's not going to care too much about that. 

He joins the list of Indians who have ended fourth at the Paris Olympics which includes two-time medallist Manu Bhaker, rifle shooter Arjun Babuta, the archery duo of Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara and the shooting pair of Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka (who ended finished fourth in the Skeet Mixed Team event just minutes before Lakshya ended fourth). 

These moonball versions of badminton floaters have been disastrous. First net tumble that cost him a count. 8-bitter 16

Lee is five points away from the bronze medal now. And he won that 16th point with a full stretch dive from the back court to the net after Lakshya tried a drop shot. 

Lakshya responsed with another drop, but Lee pushed the shuttle back to win it. 

Shivani Naik, our resident badminton expert, gives you reason to be hopeful for Lakshya Sen, despite him trailing 6-11 in the final game. 

Indecision at backline that comes from mental tiredness, hoping shuttle falls out. That can be a bad omen. But not with Sen. 
He follows it with a spectacular cross smash. And next rally, the pace is akin to a Techno trance DJ scratching a jarring loop, up and down. Long bruising rally that Sen wins. Two shuttle's dumped into net from Malaysian, before Sen ends another marathon wide. A smart medical timeout at 5-10. Challenge review nailed. 6-10. But LZJ goes down the line to lead 11-6. 

It's never over with Sen.

Lakshya Sen seems to be really troubled with his right arm where he's having to replace his bandage, which is covering a bleed. 

This cut has led to two stoppages in play so far. 

Lakshya trails in the decider for now. 

Badminton basics here from Lakshya Sen in his quest for bronze. Toss it to the forehand baseline, then play a net drop to the backhand. Repeat. It's got him two points and let's see if he can continue with it.

Lakshya not in the mood to let the bronze medal slip so easily from his grasp. he's realsied that he can win points by keeping the rallies going. He's defending like his life depends on it and manages to win three points in a bid to haul back the Malaysian.

Game 3: Lakshya Sen 5-9 Lee Zii Jia 

Lee running away towards bronze now! He's up 9-2 in the decider! 

Lakshya makes a bad judgment call, and is about to leave the shuttle when he realises it will fall in. He hastily returns it and it's a cannon fodder of a return for Lee to smash into the ground! 

Game 3: Lakshya Sen 2-9 Lee Zii Jia 

Here’s the story of the 2nd game. That run of points from LZJ from 3-8 down sapped all the momentum out of the match for Lakshya

From 8-3 up to bungling away with errors to 16-21. Decider. 

But nothing of the past matters. Not even the two sets gone by. This is a straight shoot off, first to 21 points. 

Should start with cutting down on floating those lifts to Zii Jia's forehand. Like Anil Dias had pointed out yesterday, those really hurt Sen. The casual ones lollipopped high

The Malaysian picking up from he left off in the second game. He's up 2-5 in the third game. Lakshya tries an acrobatic, behind the back, no look, jumping shot which flies out of the lines. 

And we'll have a third game after all. Lee Zii Jia wins the second game 21-16. He's really found his attack in the second game after it went missing in the first. 

Onus now on Lakshya to come out swinging in the final game. Coaches Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar speaking to him at the break between Games 2 and 3. 

Lakshya seems to be complaining about an issue with his arm and a medical professional is on the court talking to him. He;s asking for taping on his playing arm. 

He's trailing 16-19 in the second game. 

The cross gets all the praise. But Lakshya Sen's variations from the round the head, though rare these days, is quite a point guzzler.

deleting_message

Sen goes into a shell when attacking players string together a bunch of points. This was 8 straight ones including body smashes from Lee Zii Jia. But Sen will need to settle nerves, cut down errors, and attack from net. 

Sure, the Indian has endurance for a decider. But he has to draw confidence from his defensive rigour, and not pull punches on net attack. Or worse, stay half hearted on midcourt. His cross smash is still singing sweet.

Here we go, after nine points in a row for the Malaysian saw him go 8-12 up, Lakshya has taken the next points to rise to a 14-12 lead himself. 

This is almost like boxing, one boxer waiting for his opponent to wear himself out with his punchesand then coming out swinging. 

Game 2: Lakshya Sen 14-12 Lee Zii Jia 

What have we seen here from the Malaysian! 

He was 3-8 down in the second game, and staring down the barrel.

But then, he claims eight points in a row to go into the mid-game interval with an 11-8 lead! WOW! This is superlative badminton from the Malaysian.

Maybe the Indian coaches will be telling Lakshya not to allow a repeat of the semifinal against Axelsen today, where Lakshya was 7-0 up in the second game, and allowed the Dane to mount a comeback!  

Game 2: Lakshya Sen 8-11 Lee Zii Jia 

Why are these crosscourt smashes from the midcourt/baseline so difficult to return? The pace is one aspect, but it also has a similar action of that of a drop shot that falls near the net. The opponent needs to read it just as it touches the racquet. Lakshya and most of the top badminton players have mastered this deception and the Indian is using it as his weapon here.

Lakshya Sen is playing so well that the partisan Indian crowd at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena have hardly seemed to have sat on their seats for the past 30 minutes. 

He's actually not had to move too much on the court, and the Malaysian is rarely smashing at his body.

Lakshya is up 6-2 and the duo exchange a couple of quick-silver flat shots across the net from the mid-court. And from a shot from Lakshya, the shuttle catches the top of the net cord and falls into the Malaysian's side of the court.

He doesn't even need the rub of the green to go his way at this point, he's playing such incredible badminton. 

For now, he's 7-2 up in the second game after winning the first. 

Lakshya Sen takes the opening game, leading from start to finish. Here’s the story of Game 1 unfolded.

That was an imperiouos effort from Lakshya Sen. He's claimed the first game by a 21-13 margin. Left the Malaysian searching for answers at times. 

Incredible. The Indian is 21 points away from winning India's fourth medal at the Paris Olympics. It will be India's first medal from a sport other than shooting. 

As soon as Lee Zii Jia started finding his lengths on backline, Sen has bigged his attack at the net. The Malaysian is outplayed at the net. And that explosive stomp to the net for 16-11 was exquisite. He leads 18-12, but needs to be wary of not lapsing into errors of his own. He's quite imperious from the net.

So we have the first review of the match. Nothing to lose kinda challenge from the Malaysian. He loses it, and the Indian is now three points away from the first game! 

WOW! 

Lakshya has absolutely risen to the ocassion here. Can you tell he lost one of his most hreatbreaking matches just yesterday?

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 18-12 Lee Zii Jia 

Lee Zii Jia's power game is one of the best, has probably the fiercest smashes in MS. But Lakshya Sen's defence will be able to counter that as we can see already. Lakshya should just avoid falling into the trap of really fast points when LZJ ups the tempo. Court conditions will help LS I think. Lakshya with a strong start but LZJ just starting to make his way back. Couple of needless leaves from Lakshya.

A sharp cross-court smash from the Malaysian to win his 10th point. Laksyha can only stand and gawk at that. 

But the Malaysian's not taken initiative so far. It's odd because he's one of the most attacking players on the circuit

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 15-10 Lee Zii Jia 

After a rally, Lakshya leaves the shuttle and it falls inside the lines. What an uncharacteristic error from the Indian. He's dropped a couple of points now without too much pressure on him.  

He still has a five-point gap, but as we saw yesterday, at this level, these kinds of leads get erased in the blink of an eye. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 13-8 Lee Zii Jia 

This is incredible badminton from Lakshya, who has taken a 11-5 lead in the first game in barely 10 minutes on the clock. This burst of points from the young Indian has taken us into the mid-game interval. 

The kind of form he has demonstrated right now reminds you of why Viktor Axelsen said Lakshya Sen can be a gold medallist at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 11-5 Lee Zii Jia 

The support in the stands seems to be extraordinarily in favour of the Indian shuttler. The India jeetega chants are very loud. 

And Lakshya seems to be riding on that support to race away to a healthy lead in the first game. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 6-2 Lee Zii Jia 

The first two point after a terse rally and a good judgement call are won by Lakshya Sen! 

Those are good signs. Both players here barely 24 houtrs after losing their semi-finals.So it's all about who shrugs off that disappointment well. 

Game 1: Lakshya Sen 2-0 Lee Zii Jia 

So the legendary shuttler Lin Dan opens the session with the traditional three taps of the baton. 

How did Lakshya Sen beat Lee Zii Jia at the prestigious All England championship when the duo faced each other recently?

It was a thriller and Lakshya Sen had to dig really deep to pull it off. 

Read all about it in this piece from Shivani Naik, The Indian Express' badminton expert  

Here’s a look at the past meetings between Lakshya Sen and Lee Zii Jia. In 21-point system matches, Lakshya leads 3-1. Lakshya defeated LZJ earlier this year at the All England quarterfinal, in a result that was actually significant in qualifying for Paris eventually.

As Lakshya Sen prepares to take on Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match, here's a piece from India Open in January, on the Malaysian star who knows a thing or two about being under pressure. 

It is not easy being Lee Zii Jia. The former world No.2 came into the Olympic year after struggling in 2023. But is now one win away from winning an Olympic bronze. 

READ MORE

The Indian Express' badminton correspondent, Shivani Naik, in her analysis of the Lakshya Sen vs Viktor Axelsen match from Sunday, called the game a match for the ages.

She pointed out how over-thinking in the first set and over-passiveness in second set made Lakshya Sen slip-up against Viktor Axelsen in the semi-final. 

Read Shivani Naik's piece on Lakshya Sen's loss to Axelsen. 

One of Indian badminton sensation Lakshya Sen's secrets behind his run to the semi-finals is his mother's home-cooked meals, which have been a crucial factor in his journey. With his family by his side at Paris, including his mother Nirmala, father Dhirendra Kumar, and brother Chirag, the young Lakshya Sen has enjoyed the comfort of familiar flavors amidst the high-pressure Olympic environment.

While many athletes rely on generic meal plans, Lakshya Sen's diet is a carefully curated blend of nutrition and taste, crafted in collaboration with his mother and a nutritionist. His staple lunch, a mildly spiced chicken noodle soup, is a testament to this approach. This personalized meal plan ensures he receives the necessary nutrients without compromising on taste.

Nirmala usually travels with him to major tournaments to ensure he has access to familiar and nutritious food. The importance of a balanced diet cannot be overstated in high-performance sports. Lakshya Sen's commitment to consuming 6-7 moderate meals daily, focusing on proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables, reflects his dedication to optimizing his physical condition. By prioritizing fresh, homemade food and avoiding processed options, Sen has established a strong foundation for success.

Read Shivani Naik and Amit Kamath's piece on Lakshya Sen's secret recipe for success

Viktor Axelsen, while talking to JioCinema after hsi win over Lakshya Sen in the Paris Olympics semi-final, backs the Indian for success four years from now.

“This was definitely the toughest match for me in Paris Olympics so far. Lakshya started so well, but I was able to relax in the 2nd game. I am sure four years from now, Lakshya Sen will be one of the favourites for gold in LA 2028, he has shown during these Games why he is such a strong contender."

Shivani Naik, The Indian Express' badminton expert, points out: "Lee Zii Jia has only beaten Lakshya Sen once in 5 meetings, and that was when the Indian was unwell at the Thomas Cup. Otherwise it's 4-1 to Sen in the past. But the way Sen is playing, his confidence, his cerebral counters on court and his hunger for a medal, that bronze looks very gettable. LZJ is a compulsive attacker, but Sen is way too far gone in his defensive assuredness to be denied. His crosscourt game has a sting of its own."

Viktor Axelsen, asked what he was thinking in the first game when he was 17-20 down, says: “I tried not to think. Because if you start to think, then you have problems. I think Lakshya thought a lot about it. It’s a big thing for him obviously. I know what the rings (Olympics) does to you mentally. You’re starting to think that if I get this set then I have the momentum and have the chance. It’s so natural to think like that, I’ve been there myself. I think he got a little bit nervous. And when my opponent is nervous, I know that I have to strike. And I just have to keep my shots on the court and play the right shots because maybe he will make a mistake because of nerves. That’s what happened.”

After defeating Lakshya Sen in the semi-final on Sunday, Viktor Axelsen was asked if the difference between Lakshya and him was big-game experience. he said: “Yes, I think the experience made a difference today. I think Lakshya played better than I did in big parts of the game. So he could have won the match. But I ended up winning.”

Hello and welcome ot our live coverage of the badminton bronze medal match between Lakshya Sen and Lee Zii Jia.