Paris Olympics 2024 Badminton: HS Prannoy to face Lakshya Sen in Round of 16 after hard-fought victory over Vietnam's Le Duc Phat
India’s HS Prannoy showcased incredible resilience as he secured his place in the knockout stages after defeating Vietnam's Le Duc Phat in a gripping match on Wednesday, July 31. The encounter tested both players' endurance and saw Prannoy triumph with a 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 scoreline.
The match began with Le taking the initial couple of points, but Prannoy quickly found his rhythm. He opened his account with a powerful hit followed by a tap. Right from the beginning, Prannoy hit some deceptive flicks that caught Le off guard.
The score was tied at 4-4 in the early stages before Prannoy managed to gain a slight edge, taking a 7-5 lead with solid defense. However, Le fought back, leveling the score at 8-8 and then pulling ahead. At the interval, the Vietnamese player led 11-9.
Post the interval, the Vietnamese continued to push Prannoy to the corners, forcing errors and extending his lead to 14-10. Despite Prannoy's attempts to close the gap, several unforced errors saw him lose the first game 16-21.
The second game saw a rejuvenated Prannoy. He came out strong and took an early 4-0 lead with several powerful and accurate smashes. Maintaining his momentum, Prannoy led 11-7 at the interval and continued to extend his advantage, eventually winning the second game 21-11, forcing a decider.
The final game was a nail-biter, with both players going neck and neck initially. Prannoy held a slight lead, but Le leveled the score at 7-7 and then briefly took the lead too. A long rally at 8-8 saw Prannoy emerge victorious, and he then surged ahead to an 11-8 lead at the side change.
Post-interval, Prannoy was unstoppable, quickly advancing to 15-9 as Le looked exhausted and unable to keep up. Prannoy wrapped up the game 21-12, clinching the match.
With the victory, Prannoy topped his group and advanced to the knockout stages. He is set to face fellow Indian Lakshya Sen in the Round of 16.
PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen confirm their place in the knockout stages at the Paris Olympics 2024
Earlier in the day, two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu triumphed over Estonia’s Kristina Kuuba with a score of 21-5, 21-10, securing her place in the last 16.
India’s men’s singles star Lakshya Sen also booked his spot in the last 16 after a stunning victory over Indonesia’s third seed, Jonatan Christie, winning 21-18, 21-12.