Prannoy sends Lee packing; Saina, Srikanth in quarters

Odense: H.S. 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 quarter-finals of the Denmark Open Super Series Premier.

Just four months back, Prannoy had created a flutter when he dispatched Lee in straight games in the Indonesia Super Series Premier and the unseeded Indian dished out another superb performance on Friday night to oust the former world no. 1 Malaysian 21-17, 11-21, 21-19 in a match that lasted an hour and three minutes here.

“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 said after the match.

World no. 8 Srikanth beat Korea’s Jeon Hyeok Jin 21-13, 8-21, 21-18, while Saina prevailed over Thailand’s Nitchaon Jindapol 22-20, 21-13 in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals.

US Open champion Prannoy next faces Korea’s top seed Son Wan Ho, Srikanth meets world champion Viktor Axelsen, while Saina will square off against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi.

Also through to the quarters were England’s Rajiv Ouseph, Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong, Korea’s Lee Hyun Il, Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen.

In the women’s singles, top seed and world no. 1 Tai Tzu Ying, Koreans Sung Ji Hyun and Kim Hyo Min, Japan’s Sayaka Sato, China’s Chen Yufei and Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon also reached the last eight.

Prannoy started off well and dictated terms as he built up a 10-7 lead but Lee levelled with a lucky net chord before entering the break with a slender lead when the Indian’s return missed the sideline. Lee held on to his lead till 14-13 when Prannoy unleashed a jump smash to draw parity.

The Indian soon jumped to a 18-15 lead and then grab three game points and sealed it with another deceptive return which Lee failed to ward off. In the second game Lee extended the advantage to 14-8 and he eventually managed to take the match to the decider.

In the third game Prannoy managed to turn the tables with eight straight points to lead 18-13 but the Malaysian managed to narrow the gap (19-16). However, he got his bearings right in time and unleashed a cross court smash to earn the match point and sealed it in the end.