Priyanshu Rajawat advanced to the second round of the India Open badminton tournament with a notable victory over Commonwealth Games Champion Lakshya Sen. Another Indian, HS Prannoy, also secured victory in his first-round match in the tournament.
The 21-year-old, holding the 30th position in the world rankings, staged a remarkable comeback against the 19th-ranked Sen, securing a 16-21 21-16 21-13 victory in the opening game of the tournament. Rajawat's impressive performance in the 75-minute opener earned him immense praise.
Rajawat's upcoming challenge in the tournament comes against experienced Prannoy in a second-round clash on January 17. The 31-year-old Prannoy secured victory in his first-round match against Taiwan's Chou Tien-Chen with a 21-6 21-19 win in a concise 42-minute match at KD Jadhav Indoor hall, Delhi.
As Prannoy stepped onto the court, the stadium echoed with chants of 'HSP' and 'India'. Prannoy, who had been quietly conducting his game until then, began celebrating his points with enthusiasm in the second game, which had started on an even note.
However, he found himself trailing at 11-16 until Chen took charge, executing effective cross-court shots from the back. Just as it seemed the match might go to a decisive set, Prannoy staged a comeback, levelling the score at 16-16 with a precise net return. Employing delicate shots, the Indian lured Chen to the net, capitalising on his opponent's mistakes to secure the victory.
''The planning was spot on in the first game. I was executing good shots from the back of the court. He was not getting the length well, so I had to wrap it up,'' Prannoy said after his win in the India Open 2024.
On the other hand, the defeat experienced by Sen marked his second consecutive early exit in the first round. This setback could significantly impact the 22-year-old's prospects of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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