Last edition s runner-up Kidambi Srikanth on Wednesday crashed out of the World Championships after a straight game defeat to world number 32 Zhao Jun Peng here. Kidambi went down against his Chinese counterpart 18-21, 17-21 in a match lasting only 34 minutes. The 29-year-old was out of sorts in the opening game as it took only 12 minutes for Zhao to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Tokyo, Aug. 24 (PTI): HS Prannoy stunned second seed Kento Momota in straight games to record a sensational win while reigning Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen also sailed into the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals of the World Championships here on Wednesday. Unseeded Prannoy rose above expectations to shut the door on crowd favourite and two-time former world champion Momota 21-17 21-16 in a second round tie. Incidentally, it was Prannoy’s first win over Momota in eight matches. In their previous clashes, the Indian won only one game against his higher-rated Japanese rival. Earlier in he day, reigning Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen sailed into the pre-quarterfinals with a straight game win over Spain’s Luis Penalver. The young Indian badminton ace Sen won his second round contest 21-17 21-10, taking 72 minutes to complete the formality. Prannoy and Sen will face each other in an all-Indian last 16 clash on Thursday. However, last edition’s runner
In men’s singles, India have three former medallists and in-form HS Prannoy but a tough draw, while Satwik-Chirag will be hoping to create history in doubles.
PV Sindhu has been the most consistent performer in the World Championships in the last few years with two back-to-back silver and as many bronze medals but a gold medal has so far eluded her.