Saina Nehwal ended her campaign at the ongoing Asian Games with a bronze in women’s singles after losing to world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying 21-17, 21-14 in the semi-finals on Monday.

Chinese Taipei’s top seed accelerated in the last few minutes to snuff out the Indian’s chances soon after she had taken a slender lead.

Tai Tzu opened up an early lead for herself but Nehwal, who had fought back from 3-11 down in the quarter-final against Ratchanok Intanon, won a few quick points to level the score to 8-8 in the first game. She trailed her higher-ranked opponent by just one point headed into the interval.

But Tai Tzu blazed through the next few points to four game-point opportunities. Nehwal saved the first one but could not hold one much longer dropping the first game 17-21.

In the second game as well, the top seed opened up an early lead, but Nehwal won four points on the trot to level at 6-6. The India began to attack and won a couple of points to draw level again at 10-10 but a simple dribble at the net handed Tai Tzu a one-point lead at the interval.

But when Nehwal got the lead for the first time in the match after drawing level six times, Tai Tzu flicked on to a higher gear and wrapped up the game in a flurry of points to win 21-14.

This was the Indian’s 10th straight defeat to Tai Tzu and she will come home with a singles bronze. It is still a historic medal as it is the first by an Indian woman. It is also first in badminton singles for India since Syed Modi’s bronze in 1982.