India’s HS Prannoy Falls to Ng Ka Long in Taipei Open Quarterfinals

Taipei: Indian shuttler HS Prannoy’s journey at the Taipei Open Super 300 tournament came to an end in the quarterfinals with a straight-game loss to Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus. Prannoy, ranked ninth in the world, struggled to find his rhythm and was defeated 19-21, 8-21 by the fifth-seeded Ka Long. Despite a close start to the match, Prannoy faced difficulties as it progressed.

Prannoy held a narrow two-point lead at the break, but some errors allowed Ka Long to catch up, leading to a tightly contested first game. Ka Long eventually took the game with a parallel shot rally, winning 21-19.

In the second game, Ka Long dominated with precise returns and powerful smashes, while Prannoy made several mistakes. Ka Long maintained a significant lead throughout the game and capitalized on Prannoy’s errors. Prannoy’s attempts to increase the pace of the game only led to further struggles at the net.

With a weak return from Prannoy, Ka Long extended his lead to 17-8. Prannoy’s backhand drive to the net gave Ka Long 12 match points, and the Hong Kong player seized the opportunity after Prannoy misjudged a shot at the backline.

Overall, it was a disappointing performance by Prannoy, who couldn’t find his form against a determined Ka Long. The loss marked the end of India’s campaign at the Taipei Open Super 300 tournament.