New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Lakshya Sen admitted he was disappointed after his shock second-round exit from the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, saying he was forced to play a catch-up game for much of his contest against USA’s Garret Tan.
The 14th-seeded Indian, who won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships, clinched the first game but could not hold on to his lead, as the 18-year-old American, who is 92nd in the world rankings, managed to come back and win 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 after 73 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
“It was a good match. I gave a lot of credit to my opponent. He played a very solid game,” Lakshya said after the defeat.
“Towards the third set, both of us were completely exhausted. I think I gave it my all. In the end, it was just not enough to win this match. I am a little bit disappointed.”
Lakshya had just managed to win the closely contested first game, but Tan took control of the second and forced a decider even though the Indian saved four game points. In the third game, the American’s steady net play together with his aggressive smashes continued to trouble Lakshya, who was seven points behind when the ends changed for the final time.
The Indian then launched a strong fightback and scored six points in a row, which cut the deficit to 10-12. But when Tan was leading 17-15, he needed medical attention and the break seemed to stop Lakshya’s momentum. The American then won four of the next six points to achieve the comeback.
“He was quite dominant throughout the match. I was always playing the covering-up game,” Lakshya said. “I still had my chances. I was always covering up the scores. Eventually, he was taking those points.”
“I was playing a lot of times under pressure and always trying to play the catch-up game.”
Tan’s attacking game also posed a challenge, but Lakshya refused to blame the American’s smashes for his defeat. “No, I didn’t. Those were good smashes,” he said when asked whether he felt under pressure because of the American’s attacking play.
The conditions also played a role, with Lakshya explaining that neither side of the court offered a significant advantage.
“I was playing on the least positive side of the court,” he said when asked about his approach on the so-called better side. “Both sides were pretty even today. All three games were 21-19, 21-19 and 21-17.”
“I don’t think there was a clear advantage on any side today.”
Lakshya added that the shuttle’s pace made it difficult to finish points, particularly during long rallies. “The rallies were long. I think, compared to the other days, Drift was not playing such a big role. You can see the scorelines. It was even.”
“The strategies were the same because he was quite solid on his attack and also in his defence. I was not getting many chances. Also, a little bit slower, and you don’t usually get your punch that much. You can’t finish the shots pretty well.”
–IANS
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