Badminton
Japan Open 2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Prannoy and Satwik-Chirag knocked out in quarters; Lakshya reaches semis
Catch all the highlights of the Japan Open 2023 quarterfinals.
HS Prannoy, ranked tenth, is India's top-ranked men's singles player. (Photo credit: Badminton Photo/BAI)
HS Prannoy - the world no. 10 and India's highest-ranked men's singles player - conceded his lead to lose his quarterfinal match against world no. 1 Viktor Axelsen 21-19, 18-21, 8-21. The match lasted for an hour and 16 minutes. Axelsen will face Kodai Naraoka of Japan in the semifinals.
Earlier today, world no. 2 men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were chasing their third consecutive BWF World Tour title at the Japan Open Super 750, lost a gruelling three-setter against Olympic champions Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals. The final result was 21-15, 23-25, 21-16 in Lee and Wang's favour.
Lakshya Sen, however, has had an easy outing against Koki Watanabe of Japan as he won his quarterfinal match in straight games (21-15, 21-19).
Live Updates
- 28 July 2023 5:26 AM GMT
Game 3: Six points lead for Lee and Wang
Misjudgment from Chirag, Lee and Wang extend their lead to 17-12.
It is 18-12 now. Lee fetches a point from net.
- 28 July 2023 5:24 AM GMT
Game: Satwik falls on the court, Lee-Wang extends lead
Lee and Wang extend the lead to 14-8. The Chinese Taipei pair deploys crisscrossing shots. Satwik falls on the court, Chirag returns the first serve, but Wang lands it hard in the deep court in his second attempt.
- 28 July 2023 5:21 AM GMT
Game 3: Point for Satwik-Chirag
Satwik and Chirag win a good rally. Fast exchange between the two parings. Lee hits the net and Indians win a hard-fought point. They trail 8-11.
- 28 July 2023 5:20 AM GMT
Game 3: Lee and Wang take lead at interval
Lee and Wang take an 11-7 lead at the third game interval. Satwik and Chirag have been error prone so far.
- 28 July 2023 5:18 AM GMT
Lakshya Sen through to semis
Lakshya Sen advances to semifinals. He wins the second game 21-19. Watanabe fights hard but the Indian stays firm to win the match in straight games (21-15, 21-19).
- 28 July 2023 5:17 AM GMT
Game 3: Lee-Wang extends the lead
Lee and Wang maintain lead in the decider. They now have 9-4, with Lee not letting the control at the slip away. Wang, too, has been brilliant at the backcourt. Satwik-Chirag clueless to their two-pronged strategy.
- 28 July 2023 5:14 AM GMT
Game 3: Points for the Indians
Satwik and Chirag wins two back-to-back points as Lee hits the net. The Indians still trail by three points.
- 28 July 2023 5:13 AM GMT
Game 3: Lee and Wang take four points lead
Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin start aggressively in the third and final game, taking 5-1 lead.
- 28 July 2023 5:12 AM GMT
Lakshya vs Watanabe: It is 17-17 in Game 2
Lakshya fights back from a two-point deficit to level the game 17-17 in the second game.
- 28 July 2023 5:09 AM GMT
Game 2: Satwik-Chirag fights back, levels the match
Satwik-Chirag wins the second game 25-23, forcing the decider. They have fought hard to stay firm in the match. The Indian duo saved three match points to emerge triumphant in the game.
