SYDNEY, JUNE 14 :  India’s exhilarating journey at the Australian Open 2024 badminton tournament came to a close as HS Prannoy bowed out in the men’s singles quarterfinals on Friday.

World No. 10 Prannoy faced a tough battle against Japan’s Kodai Naraoka, ranked sixth globally, in a gripping 61-minute match at the Quaycentre. Naraoka emerged victorious with scores of 21-19, 21-13.

Prannoy, who captured a bronze medal at last year’s world championships, started the match on the backfoot but managed to stay within a point at the mid-game interval. However, after the break, Naraoka surged ahead with a six-point streak. Despite Prannoy’s valiant effort to level the score at 19-all, Naraoka held his nerve to clinch the first game.

The second game saw extended rallies, with Prannoy taking an early 3-0 lead. Yet, inconsistency plagued him, and he struggled to match Naraoka’s speed and precision. This defeat marks Prannoy’s sixth loss in seven encounters against Naraoka, with his sole victory coming at the Indonesia Open last year.

Earlier in the BWF Super 500 tournament, Prannoy showcased his skill by defeating world No. 53 Misha Zilberman of Israel in the round of 16, reaching his first quarterfinal since the India Open in January.

In other matches, Sameer Verma, who had sensationally upset former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the round of 16, fell to world No. 17 Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei with scores of 21-12, 21-13.

In the women’s singles, eighth-seeded Aakarshi Kashyap was bested by third-seeded Pai Yu-Po of Chinese Taipei, losing 21-17, 21-12.

In the mixed doubles event, B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy were overpowered by the world No. 5 duo, Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin of China, with scores of 21-12, 21-14.

The Indian badminton contingent now sets its sights on the US Open BWF Super 300 tournament, which begins on June 25. The team is eager to bounce back and showcase their talent on the international stage once again. (UNI)