Prannoy loses in quarterfinals of Taipei Open
The Hindu
A weak return from Prannoy was disposed off quickly as Ka Long lead 17-8. Prannoy tried to up the pace only to falter at the net.
Star Indian shuttler HS Prannoy suffered a straight-game loss to Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long Angus in the quarterfinals to end country's campaign at the Taipei Open Super 300 tournament here on Friday.
The world No. 9 Indian didn't quite find his rhythm, going down 19-21 8-21 to fifth seed Ka Long in a lop-sided contest.
Coming into the match with a 6-5 head-to-head record, third seed Prannoy matched his rival in the beginning but as the match wore on, he crumbled.
Both the shuttlers didn't yield much as they engaged in a tight game, leading to a close affair in the first part of the opening game.
After Ka Long made a service error, Prannoy grabbed a slender two-point lead at the break.
The Indian netted a shot and missed the line next as it was 12-12. Prannoy played some good-looking jump smashes to wriggle out of situations but the Hong Kong player kept himself in the hunt as lead kept changing hands till 19-19.
Ka Long then won a rally comprising parallel shots to grab a game point and converted it when Prannoy went long.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.