New Delhi, March 6 -- At 21-19, 20-17, Lakshya Sen had three match points to close out the contest and enter the quarter-finals. The top Indian shuttler wasted all three chances before getting a fourth opportunity at 21-20. The 24-year-old let go of that chance too as Angus Ng Ka Long clawed back to push the match into the decider.

We're kind of used to Sen's meltdowns. Remember 2024 Paris Olympics? Sen then had squandered two fantastic opportunities of winning Indian badminton's fourth Olympic medal. He went on to lose both the semi-final and the bronze playoff from winning positions, ending a brilliant run.

On Thursday, Sen walked into Arena Birmingham confident after causing the upset of the tournament two days earlier when he ousted...