Lakshya Sen’s Asian Games campaign ended in the men’s singles second round after Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew secured a 21-12, 15-21, 21-14 victory in Nagoya, ending India’s shuttler’s individual campaign following his contribution to the team bronze medal.
India’s Lakshya Sen’s Asian Games campaign came to an end in the men’s singles second round on Saturday after Singapore’s former world champion Loh Kean Yew held his nerve to secure a three-game victory in Nagoya.
The 13th-ranked Loh defeated the 14th-ranked Sen 21-12, 15-21, 21-14 at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in a contest that lasted one hour and 10 minutes. The Singaporean shuttler recovered from an early setback before eventually sealing his place in the next round.
Sen made a strong start to the opening game and quickly established a 5-1 lead. However, Loh responded with an impressive run of 10 consecutive points, completely changing the momentum of the game. Sen struggled to regain control as the Singaporean took a commanding lead and eventually closed out the opening game 21-12.
The Indian shuttler showed resilience in the second game and increased the intensity of his attacking play. Sen remained composed during the rallies and managed to maintain his advantage through the crucial stages. He eventually won the game 21-15, taking the match into a deciding third game.
The decider remained closely contested in the early stages, but Loh gradually began to create a significant advantage. The Singaporean led 11-6 at the change of ends and continued to apply pressure as Sen attempted to stage a comeback.
Sen refused to give up and produced a four-point run that reduced the deficit to 13-14. He later moved closer at 14-16, raising hopes of another turnaround. Loh, however, responded with three consecutive points to restore his cushion and put himself within touching distance of victory.
The Singaporean subsequently reached match point. Sen then sent a return into the net, bringing the contest to an end as Loh completed the 21-12, 15-21, 21-14 victory.
The result also improved Loh’s head-to-head record against Sen to 5-7. Loh will continue his Asian Games campaign in the round of 16 later on Saturday.
For Sen, the defeat marks an early end to his individual campaign at the Asian Games. The Indian shuttler had already played a role in India’s bronze-medal finish in the men’s team event before beginning his singles campaign.
Sen’s elimination also adds to a challenging start for India in the badminton individual competitions. On Friday, India’s leading men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, were also eliminated at an early stage.
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With Sen now out of the men’s singles competition, India will depend on its remaining badminton players to continue the country’s challenge in the individual events. The focus will now shift to the other Indian shuttlers still competing at the Asian Games in Nagoya.
