BWF World Tour Finals | HS Prannoy loses to China's Lu GZ, crashes out of tournament

12/08/2022

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India's HS Prannoy has crashed out of the BWF World Tour Finals after facing a three-game defeat against China's Lu GZ. The Indian lost 21-23, 21-17, 19-21 against the Chinese, after losing to Japan's Kodai Naraoka on Wednesday 11-21 21-9 17-21, hence ending the road for him in the tournament.

Prannoy, who has been India's best singles player this year, has one more game left in the tournament; against World no.1 Denmark's Viktor Axelsen on Friday. For the most part of the match, Prannoy looked in control, but could not get crucial points right towards the end of the first and the third game.

This was a repeat of his last match's performance, where against Naraoka too, he failed to get points when it mattered the most. With this loss, India's campaign at the BWF World Tour Finals also ended, as no other Indian was participating in the event.

After losing his first match against Naraoka, Prannoy had said, "I thought I was in control for the most part of the game but after 15-15 in the third game, I thought I started rushing and made errors from my end. Probably, it was a bad strategy, I should have been more patient," the 30-year-old said after the match.

"Coming to the good side (after the change of ends in the decider), I could have been more patient. I was doubting myself in a couple of areas in the third game. Maybe lack of match practice made it uncomfortable."