Korea Open: Indian challenge ends as Jayaram goes down fighting in quarterfinals

India's campaign ended at the Korea Open after Ajay Jayaram went down fighting against World No. 20 Korean Lee Hyun-il in the men's singles quarterfinals of the Super Series badminton in Seoul on Friday.

Jayaram, who came into the match with a 0-2 head-to-head record against the Korean, lost 23-25 13-21 in a 44-minute battle to bow out of the contest at the Seong-nam Indoor Stadium here.

Jayaram, ranked 27th in the world, was 14-11 ahead at one stage but Lee caught up with a seven-point burst to turn the tables on the Indian. Lee reached the game points at 20-17 but Jayaram saved three game points and was in fact 23-22 up, but he could not finish it as the local shuttler held his nerve and made a comeback to clinch the game.

In the second game, Jayaram could not play his usual game as the Korean broke off at 4-4 and slowly moved ahead, as the Indian crumbled. Jayaram had lost to Lee at the Canada Open earlier this year.