2013 India Open: Taufik Hidayat fails to make his mark in Men’s Singles event
An upset was observed in pre quarter-final round of Yonex Sunrise India Open as the veteran Indonesian campaigner Taufik Hidayat lost to an inexperienced shuttler H. S. Prannoy on April 25, 2013.
This tussle lasted for 40 minutes before ending with final figures of 26-24 and 21-9. The former World and Olympic champion Taufik was hot favourite in this contest but the spirited Indian shuttler turned the tables with a staggering knock.
The opening game set the overall tone of the match as both contenders challenged each other in all departments of game and made this an unforgettable contest.
However, H.S. Prannoy showed superior finishing skills and locked the honour in a commendable manner.
He showed his intentions in the establishing rallies of first set and served the notice of his potential in pressure situation.
The opening game started with couple of gruelling rallies as both shuttlers made every effort to gain an immediate advantage.
The seasoned Indonesian player was not prepared for such a strong backlash. He looked completely out of touch throughout the game.
First sign of trouble came when he made some consecutive mistakes and allowed the opposing shuttler to proceed on points table.
After the one-minute break, the inexperienced but talented Indian player registered his presence with splendid court craft. He kept on moving forward at steady pace and did not allow his challenger to enjoy a permanent lead.
In third quarter of the set, both Men’s Singles expert were standing equal but then Prannoy struck hard and tipped the scale in his favour with 26-24 score.
Though, Indian badminton lovers were super excited after the splendid performance of the native contender but Indonesians were also expecting Taufik Hidayat to come back.
However, Prannoy buried all the hopes by playing flawless badminton. He laid foundation of his dominance immediately in the beginning and ruled the court until last shot was played.
At first, he mounted pressure by registering an unassailable total of 11 and then capitalised this psychological edge to seal a straight-set victory.
He placed an overwhelming score of 21-9 and secured a quarter-final berth in 2013 India Open.
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