HS Prannoy advanced to the second round of the India Open Super 750 badminton tournament on Tuesday, securing a victory over Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei.
The World No.9 Indian displayed a well-executed game, defeating the 13th-ranked Chen with scores of 21-6, 21-19 in a 42-minute contest at the KD Jadhav Indoor hall.
The upcoming second round promises an all-Indian clash, as Lakshya Sen and Priyanshu Rajawat are scheduled to compete in their opening match.
"The planning was spot on in the first game. I was executing good shots from back of the court. He was not getting the length well, so I had to wrap it up," Prannoy said after the match.
"In the second game, he was pushing the speed and finishing a lot of shuttles from the back but I was happy to fight back from 11-16 and towards the end I was playing the right game.
"It was important to close it in two games because if it is the third game, then it is always a tough one as he (Chen) pushes with his experience," he added.
Prannoy seamlessly found his rhythm right from the beginning, incorporating a combination of half smashes, drops and tosses from the back court. Chen struggled to handle the shuttle's length, resulting in numerous errors. By the break, Prannoy had established an impressive 11-2 lead.
Maintaining his dominance in the rallies, Prannoy convincingly claimed the opening game as Chen faltered. Despite a relatively small audience at the start, chants of 'HSP' and 'India' resonated in the stadium.
In the second game, which commenced evenly, Prannoy, initially reserved, began celebrating his points with enthusiasm. However, he faced a challenge at 11-16 when Chen showcased skillful cross-court shots from the back court.
Just as it appeared the match might head to a decider, Prannoy mounted a comeback to make it 16-16 with a precise net return. Employing more delicate shots, he lured Chen to the net, inducing errors and ultimately edging ahead.
