India’s star shuttler HS Prannoy produced an emphatic performance in the quarter-final to beat local favourite Viktor Axelsen in three games, thus securing a medal at the BWF World Championships. This is Prannoy’s first medal at the coveted tournament, and the Indian worked hard for the same, toiling hard against Axelsen’s fierce on-court movement and support from the local Danish crowd to win 13-21, 21-15, 21-16.
In the opening game, Prannoy faced challenges in finding his rhythm as Axelsen surged ahead with an 11-5 lead at the mid-game interval, leveraging his exceptional court movement that posed difficulties for Prannoy to match. The initial game concluded with Axelsen’s commanding 21-13 victory.
However, the momentum shifted in the subsequent games as Prannoy initiated a comeback. Engaging Axelsen in extended rallies, the Indian shuttler displayed his resilience and determination, marking a transition from the second game onwards.
Prannoy clinched the second game with a score of 21-15, asserting his control, and maintained his dominance throughout the third game. In the decisive phase, he surged ahead with an 11-6 lead, capitalizing on Axelsen’s growing fatigue with each point scored by the Indian shuttler. Ultimately, Prannoy secured a hard-earned victory over the reigning Olympic champion, marking his first individual triumph and India’s 14th medal at the World Championships.
Prannoy’s medal-winning feat came shortly after a significant setback for the Indian campaign. The star pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced a disappointing defeat in the quarterfinals, missing out on a consecutive podium finish. The World No. 2 duo suffered a straight-game loss of 21-18, 21-19 to the Danish opponents Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, ranked World No. 11.
The opening game between the duos unfolded in a closely contested manner, even with Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen initially seizing a 5-1 advantage. The Indian pair staged a recovery and level the score at 6-6. Eventually, it faced a 21-18 loss in the first game.
Moving on to the second game, Astrup and Rasmussen held a 11-7 lead. However, Chirag and Satwik exhibited a spirited resurgence, managing to even the score in the latter part of the second game. Despite their efforts, the Indian duo experienced a narrow defeat of 21-19, ultimately concluding their campaign in the quarterfinals.