China : In a gripping opening-round contest at the China Open Super 1000 badminton tournament in Changzhou on July 22, 2025, Indian shuttler HS Prannoy showcased remarkable resilience by saving five match points to beat world No. 18 Japanese shuttler Koki Watanabe 8-21, 21-16, 23-21. Prannoy, ranked 35th globally, was badly outplayed in the first game but regrouped to win the second. The decider saw him trail a daunting 2-11 at the mid-game interval and later 15-20, yet he dug deep to reel off six consecutive points to snatch victory in a thrilling 57-minute marathon match.
Reflecting on his victory, the 33-year-old veteran said, “At this point in my career, every win matters. I’m happy to be back on tour after small breaks here and there. The level of play has risen dramatically — winning each round is tougher every day,” acknowledging the influx of younger players averaging 22-23 years old in men’s singles.
This win marked Prannoy’s first triumph over the Japanese player in two encounters. He will next face sixth seed Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei in the pre-quarterfinals.
On the other hand, India’s top men’s singles player Lakshya Sen, world No. 19 and a Paris 2024 semi-finalist, had a disappointing outing. Sen squandered a one-game lead and lost 21-14, 22-24, 11-21 to China’s fifth seed Li Shifeng in the opening round, continuing his recent poor form at international events.
Additionally, Indian women’s singles player Anupama Upadhyay and the mixed doubles pairs A Surya/A Pramuthesh and Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Gadde also bowed out early, losing their opening matches.
Prannoy’s comeback victory stands out as one of his season’s most impressive feats, highlighting his fighting spirit and tactical adaptability amid a challenging and highly competitive badminton circuit.
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