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Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
PV Sindhu vs Unnati Hooda at China Open, Head-to-Head, timing and more: In a generational clash, can the youngster pull off an upset?
After overcoming one of the best young players in the world in 18-year-old Tomoka Miyazaki, PV Sindhu next faces one of the rising talent in Indian badminton, the 17-year-old Unnati Hooda at China Open in the round of 16 on Thursday. Sindhu, once world No 2, has moved down the rankings in recent times and is placed No 15 in the world now. Meanwhile, Unnati has steadily climbed the ladder and is India's No 3 now, ranked No 35 in the world. Unnati has had a decent year on the tour, finding her feet while competing at the senior level, as she reached the semifinals at Taipei Open, where she incidentally lost against Miyazaki, despite holding a decent lead in the opening game. She had also reached the quarterfinal at German Open, where former junior world champion Riko Gunji defeated her in a marathon. In Lucknow last year at the Syed Modi Super 300, Unnati didn't know who she would be meeting in the semifinal when she was speaking to reporters after her quarterfinal win against USA's Ishika Jaiswal. But she had a fair idea as PV Sindhu was leading in her match. Unnati was excited about the prospect of the first meeting against the legendary figure of Indian badminton. 'I guess it will be Sindhu di, and it will be my first ever meeting against her,' the 17-year-old from Rohtak beamed. 'I am really excited. I have been in the Uber Cup team with her. She has achieved so much in her career, she is an idol for every young Indian shuttler.' On the international circuit, Sindhu and Unnati have played just once: at Syed Modi Super 300 in Lucknow last year. Despite offering some brief glimpses of her talent, Unnati just couldn't land any sustained punches on Sindhu who won 21-12 21-9 in just 36 minutes. 'She was quite attacking,' Unnati recalled about that match. 'You got to have a very good defense to pick her smashes. But there is a chance. There are areas. I need to be strategically at my best.' Ashwini Ponnappa, India's doubles legend, was commentating during that match and felt that Unnati would have been better off not going for the lines repeatedly and instead of pushing too hard for winners, could try to keep the shuttle in play. In what has been very drifty conditions so far in Changzhou, that could well be the key for the youngster: to control the errors. 'I try to keep it same whether I'm playing No 1 or No 2. Stick to the plan. I'm not taking pressure to be the next Sindhu. It's my own distinct journey. I definitely need to achieve what they did, but I'm aware it will be a difficult journey. But uniquely mine,' Unnati Hooda had said in a recent interview to The Indian Express The match is estimated to begin at 1.10 pm IST and will be played as the ninth match on Court 2. With only 8 matches on Court 2 scheduled for official broadcast, this match will be streamed live on BWF TV's YouTube channel.
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
China Open badminton: How HS Prannoy scripted a stunning fightback to save five match points and win a thrilling first-round match
As the players changed ends in the decider, the scoreboard read 2-11. As the match entered its final stages, the scoreboard read 15-20. Those are not typically scorelines one makes a comeback from. But Indian veteran HS Prannoy produced a comeback for the ages as he beat world No.18 Koki Watanabe 8-21, 21-16, 23-21 in a 57-minute thriller in the opening round of China Open, the year's last Super 1000 event – the top tier of the BWF World Tour circuit. 'Lucky,' Prannoy quipped after the match. 'Unexpected, I would say. It doesn't go your way most of the time. I'm lucky to be on the winning side this time.' There was luck involved for sure, but plenty of grit too. It was the rally at 16-20 in Game 3 that was the first sign that the Indian wasn't going down without a fight. In a nearly 50-shot exchange, Prannoy had a couple of short lifts that could have easily been put away by Watanabe – he just needed the shuttle to hit the court one more time to win the match. But Prannoy somehow stayed alive, won that marathon exchange, and started to believe. There would be another reflex winner, this time from Prannoy, and the gap quickly vanished, as he won six straight points to go up 21-20. Watanabe saved one match point but the Indian prevailed on his second opportunity to let out a massive roar. #ChinaOpenSuper1000 In an epic fightback from HS Prannoy, an epic rally. Down 16-20, a nearly 50-shot rally! Second of the five match points saved. And went on to win the match. 🎥 BWF TV — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) July 22, 2025 He promptly went on to embrace Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, India's leading doubles player, sitting on the coaching chair for Prannoy this match, and living through the final tense moments with more anxiety than when he is out on court playing with Chirag Shetty. 'I think at this point of my career, each and every win kind of matters. I'm happy to be back on tour, I would say. There have been small breaks here and there. Obviously, the level of men's singles has gone really high. So winning each round is getting tougher day by day,' Prannoy said. 'I think the average age has become 22-23 (of the top players) all of a sudden in the men's singles category. A lot of fresh faces, and you don't know what their game is. So It's tough to be a veteran out there.' The sporting cliche is that sometimes matches can be of two halves. But this one was one of two ends. From the near side as seen on the official BWF single-camera YouTube broadcast, Prannoy struggled. In the opening game, he was never really in the contest, constantly sending his lifts beyond the backline. He was judging the length wrong, letting shuttles drop inside the court. It was an indication of the 33-year-old not reading the drift correctly. But once he went to the far side, the Indian was much more in control. The half-smashes were catching Watanabe short, the flatter exchanges from Prannoy had more zing, and his judgment of length was much better. And after a neck-and-neck start to the game, he started to slowly inch ahead after the mid-game break, forcing a decider after winning the second game 21-16. #ChinaOpenSuper1000 WOW! An epic HSP comeback! 😳 HS Prannoy trailed 2-11 in the decider, he then trailed 15-20, facing FIVE match points. But then pulls off an epic turnaround to beat world No 18 Koki Watanabe for one of his most stunning wins in recent times 🏸 🎥 BWF TV — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) July 22, 2025 However, the start of Game 3 – as he was back to the near side – was anything but ideal for Prannoy. Once more, the shuttles started missing the lines, and while drift certainly seemed to be playing its part, Prannoy was also guilty of missing his targets while going on the attack. He trailed by nine points at the mid-game interval and despite the control he had shown from the other side, it appeared that the match was firmly heading Watanabe's way. But Prannoy made a quick start after the interval, reeling off five quick points to start closing the gap. From there, it was a bit of a cat-and-mouse game between him and the 26-year-old Japanese shuttler. Serving at 15-18, Prannoy thought he was about to close the gap to two points when he hit a backhand kill-shot at the net, but Watanabe pulled off a behind-the-back winner with some amazing reflexes; it left Prannoy floored on the court with the racket leaving his hand as he put in a dive. That point could well have been the turning point, as soon after play resumed, Watanabe had five match points. Prannoy, though, had other ideas, pulling off one of the best comebacks of his career. Vinayakk Mohanarangan is Senior Assistant Editor and is based in New Delhi. ... Read More
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
China Open: HS Prannoy scripts stunning fightback, saves 5 match points to beat world No 18
As the players changed ends in the decider the scoreboard read 2-11. In the final stages of the match, the scoreboard read 15-20. Those are not typically scorelines one makes a comeback from when trailing. But Indian veteran HS Prannoy produced a comeback for the ages as he beat world No 18 Koki Watanabe 8-21, 21-16, 23-21 in a 57-minute thriller in the opening round of China Open, the year's last Super 1000 event – the top-tier of the BWF World Tour circuit events. The sporting cliche is sometimes matches can be of two halves. But this one was one of two ends. From the near side as seen on the official BWF single-camera YouTube broadcast, Prannoy struggled. In the opening game, he was never really in the contest, constantly sending his lifts beyond the backline. Even on the near side, he was judging the length wrong, letting it shuttles drop inside. It was an indication of the 33-year-old not reading the drift right. #ChinaOpenSuper1000 WOW! An epic HSP comeback! 😳 HS Prannoy trailed 2-11 in the decider, he then trailed 15-20, facing FIVE match points. But then pulls off an epic turnaround to beat world No 18 Koki Watanabe for one of his most stunning wins in recent times 🏸 🎥 BWF TV — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) July 22, 2025 But once he went to the far side, Prannoy was much more in control. The half smashes were catching Watanabe short, the flatter exchanges from Prannoy had more zing, and his judgment of lengths was much more efficient. And after a neck-and-neck start to the game, Prannoy started to slowly inch ahead post interval. He forced the decider 21-16. However, the start of Game 3 – as he was back to the near side – was anything but ideal. Once more the shuttles started missing the lines, and while drift certainly seemed to be playing its part, Prannoy was also guilty of missing his target while trying to go for his attacks. He trailed by 9 points and despite the control he showed from the other side, it appeared that the match was firmly heading Watanabe's way. #ChinaOpenSuper1000 In an epic fightback from HS Prannoy, an epic rally. Down 16-20, a nearly 50-shot rally! Second of the five match points saved. And went on to win the match. 🎥 BWF TV — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) July 22, 2025 But the Indian made a quick start after the interval, reeling off 5 quick points to starting closing the gap. From there it was a bit of cat-and-mouse. Serving at 15-18, Prannoy thought he was about to close the gap to 2 points as he hit a backhand kill-shot at the net, but Watanabe pulled off a rare behind-the-back winner with some amazing reflexes; it left Prannoy left flat on the court with the racket flying away as he put in a dive. That could well have been the turning point as soon after play resumed Watanade had 5 match points. Prannoy, though, had other ideas. It was the rally at 16-20 that was the first sign that the Indian wasn't going down without a fight. In a nearly 50-shot exchange, Prannoy had a couple of short lifts that could have easily been put away by Watanabe – he just needed the shuttle to hit the court one more time to win the match. But Prannoy somehow stayed alive, won that marathon exchange, and started to believe. There would another reflex winner, this time from Prannoy and the gap quickly vanished, as he won six straight points to go up 21-20. Watanabe saved one match point but eventually, Prannoy prevailed on his second opportunity to let out a massive roar. Vinayakk Mohanarangan is Senior Assistant Editor and is based in New Delhi. ... Read More
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Malaysia Masters Super 500: How veterans HS Prannoy, Srikanth Kidambi wound the clock back with upset wins
Three years back in the middle of May, Srikanth Kidambi and HS Prannoy found themselves at the center of one of Indian badminton's greatest triumphs. The two veterans took shared leadership, galvanised an otherwise young squad, and led India to the Thomas Cup title, which feels surreal till date. The recent few weeks, however, haven't been easy going. Prannoy has struggled with a myriad physical issues since achieving his dream of representing India at the Olympics, while Srikanth's ranking has kept plummeting, and he finds himself battling through qualification rounds to earn a ticket in the main draws of World Tour events or depending on withdrawals. The two veterans needed a day that reinforced that the work they have been putting in the background is worth it. On Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, they received a shot in the arm. As they both completed their first-round upset job against higher-ranked opponents, they both let out a huge roar. Prannoy had lost the last three times he had faced Kenta Nishimoto but managed to arrest that mini-streak with a 19-21, 21-17, 21-16 win in 82 minutes against the world No. 12. Srikanth historically had a good record against Lu Guang Zu, winning five of his previous six meetings against the rising Chinese talent, but the last win was back in July 2024. Lu is one of the form players on tour, reaching the final of the Badminton Asia Championships and semifinals last week at the Thailand Open. But Srikanth – despite some shaky moments – produced some typically silky moments of elegant badminton in a 23-21, 13-21, 21-11 win in 57 minutes against the world No 13. #MalaysiaMastersSuper500 HS Prannoy is back at the event where he won the title in 2023 and produces some vintage stuff as he digs deep to beat the ever-challenging Kenta Nishimoto. Was down 7-12 in Game 3, caught up & eventually raced through. Good to see him at it. 🎥 BWF TV — Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) May 21, 2025 'I felt this was a very important win for Prannoy, just for him to understand what he is still capable of. It was good to see him digging deep in the match, to go for the attack and find the momentum at the end,' his coach and former India shuttler Gurusaidutt told The Indian Express. 'He was in good positions this year at the All England against Toma Popov, Anders Antonsen and Jonatan Christie at Sudirman Cup, and so on. But at crucial points, there were confidence and the energy level drops that were happening. And that happens for a guy who has issues with health, and over a period, you know, he's unable to train as much as he used to.' Guru also mentioned that it was something Prannoy specifically tried to simulate in training, putting himself in uncomfortable conditions. Prannoy, a former champion of this tournament in 2023, came back from 7-12 down in the decider to win 14 of the next 18 points. 'The turning point was the five straight points, when he caught up at 12-12,' Gurusaidutt said. For Srikanth, too, life on tour hasn't been easy. But Gurusaidutt – along with Parupalli Kashyap and Pullela Gopichand – have kept the belief, while the former world No 1 himself has been trying to be more vocal in training, be more aggressive on court. His skills have never been in doubt. 'He is a guy who can trouble anybody. Sometimes he misses out because he tries too much. He has found a bit more acceptance about where he is. And for a guy of his caliber, to play two really tough qualification matches on one day and come through, then win in three games against a player like Lu is important.' Gurusaidutt, however, quickly added that it has to be more than just one-off wins. 'They needed these wins to believe that this is still possible. I see the hunger in both of them. But after the match, everything quickly went back to normal. Head down, prepare.' Vinayakk Mohanarangan is Senior Assistant Editor and is based in New Delhi. ... Read More
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vendy aiming to go deep at YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships 2025
Ben Lane and Sean Vendy will kick off English involvement in the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships 2025. The men's doubles duo are the only home pair in action on the opening day at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham. The pair will be the eighth match on Minoru Yoneyama Court when they take on Yew Sin Ong and Ee Yi Teo of Malaysia. 'This year we feel more equipped to go deep in the tournament,' Vendy said. 'We had a couple of World Tour titles last year. 'We had some deep runs in some big tournaments and I think it is about time that we went deep into the All England. 'I am confident in both of our games at the minute and think we can do just that.' Day 1 Preview: Christie begins title defence Lane and Vendy sit 17 places above their opponents in the world rankings and will be hoping to get the home hopes off to the best possible start. 'I feel great, it is by far my favourite tournament of the year, I'm excited to get going, preparation has been good,' Lane said. 'We had a good week in Gemrany last week. We're excited to start and we have friends and families coming along. 'There is of course pressure but if there wasn't pressure, I don't think it would mean anything and I think personally pressure makes me play a little better.' Fans can watch the action live on BWF TV or head down to the Utilita Arena with tickets still on sale. Wednesday will see the majority of the English pairs in action with Gregory Mairs and Jenny Mairs competing in their final international tournament having announced their retirement earlier this week. The mixed doubles pair have taken the decision to focus on their thriving content channels but will look to end a tournament on a high. They will face Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito of Japan who are currently ranked 11th in the world. From last All England to first as Estelle van Leeuwen makes her debut alongside Callum Hemming in the mixed doubles. They will face Po-Hsuan Yang and Ling Fang Hu of Chinese Taipei who are sitting at seventh in the world. There is a chance to add their names to history with it being 20 years since Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson lifted the mixed doubles title at the All England. They were the last English winners at the Championships and will be in attendance in Birmingham to celebrate the special anniversary. Last tickets available for the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships 2025. Book now to guarantee your seat to watch the world's best badminton players compete! All England Open Badminton New | All England Badminton
