Prannoy shocks Lee; Saina enters last eight
copenhagen —HS Prannoy’s second successive win over three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei was the highlight on a day when Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth also made the quarterfinals of the Denmark Open Super Series Premier.
Just four months back, Prannoy had created a flutter when he dispatched Chong Wei in straight games in the Indonesia Super Series Premier and the unseeded Indian dished out another superb performance on Thursday to oust the former World No. 1 Malaysian 21-17 11-21 2119 in a match that lasted an hour and three minutes.
“I am happy to beat him again today. Even at this age, he is one of the best players, who can play in any conditions. I am not thinking much ahead as I have done this before but couldn’t win the title so I will just look at the next match,” Prannoy told reporters after the match.
World No. 8 Srikanth, who already has two super series titles at Indonesia and Australia to his name, defeated Korea’s Jeon Hyeok Jin 21-13 8-21 2118, while Saina, who won a bronze at the Glasgow World Championship, prevailed over Thailand’s Nitchaon Jindapol 22-20 21-13 in women’s singles pre-quarterfinals.
US Open champion Prannoy will next face Korea’s top seed Son Wan Ho, Srikanth will meet current world champion Viktor Axelsen, while Saina will square off against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi.
Also through to the quarters were England’s Rajiv Ouseph, Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki Vincent, Korea’s Lee Hyun Il, Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen.
In women’s singles, top seed and world no 1 Tai Tzu Ying, Korean duo of Sung Ji Hyun and Kim Hyo Min, Japan’s Sayaka Sato, China’s Chen Yufei and Thailands Ratchanok Intanon also reached the last eight. —