Badminton
Indonesia Open 2022: HS Prannoy storms into semi-finals
HS Prannoy kept India's medal hopes alive at the Indonesia Open 2022 as he displayed stunning form against Denmark's Rasmus Gemke and won the match in straight games to enter semi-finals.
HS Prannoy in action at the Indonesia Open 2022 (Source: Badminton Photo)
Indian badminton veteran HS Prannoy showed up all guns blazing against World No. 13 Rasmus Gemke of Denmark in the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Open 2022 and went on to win the match, 21-14, 21-12 in just 40 minutes to book his seat in the semi-finals.
Into the last four of the BWF Super 1000 tournament for the second time in his career, Prannoy was solid from the get-go against Gemke, who had a strapped-up knee. Dashing off to a 5-0 lead right at the start, Prannoy set the momentum for the match with his easy backhand winners and cross-court smashes that left Gemke a little on the backfoot, initially, before he started offering some resistance.
Into the second set, Gemke made a better start but after the mid-game interval, HS Prannoy did not allow the Dane to make any smart moves and unleashed some beautiful net shots to command the lead. In a matter of time, HS Prannoy, looking calm and confident sailed on to win the match, 21-14, 21-12 and punctuated the victory with a big leap!
With this win, Prannoy now leads 3-2 against the Dane and has won all three of their last meetings on the court. In fact, their meeting at the Thomas Cup last month was highly dramatic with Prannoy suffering an injury in the first game of a do-or-die match for India.
READ | Painkiller, Patience, Perseverance — Prannoy's recipe takes India to maiden Thomas Cup final
This is the second time that HS Prannoy has made it to the semi-finals of the Indonesia Open. Earlier in 2017, Prannoy went to the last four before losing to Japan's Kazumasa Sakai in three sets, 21-17, 26-28, 18-21, in an epic clash.
With all other Indian badminton players having crashed out of this event, it is just HS Prannoy still standing and keeping medal hopes alive. Prannoy will take on Chinese World No. 35 Zhao Jun Peng in the semi-finals on Saturday, next.
