Prannoy squanders 19-14 lead in decider as China’s Weng Hong Yang clinches Australian Open Super 500 badminton title | Badminton News

Perhaps, HS Prannoy reckoned he had done enough of the fighting back when he reached 19-14 in the decider after hammering down two successive power-smashes from the backcourt. He had shrugged off a 21-9 first-game concession, and forced a decider with a 23-21 score in the second in a physical humdinger. But the 5-point lead wasn’t enough and a last dramatic tw was about to unfold, as Weng Hong Yang found a second wind, restored his nerves and won the battle of comebacks, showing more courage at the net in the Australian Open Super 500 final.Scoring five straight points thereafter, the Chinese levelled at 19-19, and rode that momentum to bury Prannoy’s Australia Open hopes in Sydney after the Indian was a point away from victory at 20-19.Weng’s biggest deception proved to be lulling Prannoy into believing he was too tired to win. The realisation must’ve hit Prannoy that he still had the last dregs and legs of a fight when the Chinese won a 71-shot rally to inch closer at 19-18. Ultimately, Prannoy sent a tired return wide as Weng, the world No. 24, won the 90-minute thriller 21-9, 21-23, 22-20 on his first Championship point.
Prannoy had done well to not let go of the lead from 11-8 to 15-9, seemingly powering through the decider, sending down steep shots out of reach of Weng’s backhand. But two errors – first wide and then long – from Prannoy at 15-11 proved ominous. Still, the Indian World No. 9 was asserting himself with his power game and looked comfortably placed at 19-14, when Weng pulled out his last resance.
Prannoy had piled on the pressure with his attack in the second game, and would’ve reckoned he could power through the third. Weng though was determined to shred hory and statics that pointed to a Prannoy win in tight deciders. He had the trick strokes to pull it off too.
Sydney: Silver medal winner India’s badminton player HS Prannoy with Gold medal China’s Weng Hong Yang after the Australian Open men’s singles final at the State Sports Centre in Sydney, Sunday, Aug 6, 2023. Prannoy lost the final match against China’s Weng Hong Yang. (PTI)
The Chinese 24-year-old hadn’t been exceptional in the forecourt till then, but at 17-19 moved lightning quick to the net for a scything cross. Then came the humongous rally. Unbelievable retrievals flowed from a tired pair of arms, and many flew high as they traded tosses and drops and low pick-ups. Coming as it did after 80 minutes of play, the torturous rally went on and on, till it was Prannoy who sent a tired forehand into the net. Both players collapsed to the floor in exhaustion. It was 19-18 to Prannoy, with Weng narrowing down the lead.
The endgame
The next shot showed Weng’s smarts, when he pulled back on the pace of a straight stop-push which fell short of Prannoy in the forecourt. 19-19. The Indian would strike back with a winner at the net to get to 20-19, but the Chinese levelled at 20-20 when his canny short return clipped the tape for a net cord. Weng had come way too far in this fight to back off now, and a taut rally followed with the Chinese going for the left-hand angled body attack on Prannoy. 21-20, the Chinese was on a roll now and drew out the wide error, before he roared, taking the decider 22-20.
“Prannoy had his chances, but Weng Hong Yang played well, can’t say Prannoy was nervous or anything,” coach Pullela Gopichand would say. “The long rally could’ve gone either way, there was a service return from Hong Yang that was very good and he pounced on another at the net, followed the net chord. All well-played points from the Chinese in the end. He might’ve looked tired in the middle, but the speed he generated in long rallies proved otherwise. He was deceptive in more ways than one, especially on the backhand. He was retrieving big smashes, and when Prannoy tapped 3-4 times, he picked those too.”
Just like against Lee Zii Jia in the semis, the Chinese would pull out some special strokes at the crunch. “He had a few tricky shots which were very helpful in the end. It would appear as if there was little pace on some shots, but some others were very pacy,” Gopichand added.
Sydney: Badminton player HS Prannoy with coach P Gopichand (L) poses for pictures with silver medal after the Australian Open men’s singles final at the State Sports Centre in Sydney, Sunday, Aug 6, 2023. Prannoy lost the final match against China’s Weng Hong Yang. (PTI Photo) (PTI08_06_2023_000117A)
Earlier, there was little indication this would shape up to be a classic when Weng won the opener 21-9 in just 17 minutes as he showed good control over tosses and lifts of the slow shuttle. The Chinese was packing off Prannoy to the backcourt, from where the Indian’s shots lacked the usual sting. But the Indian was only getting revved up as his movement was still not at 100 percent. Prannoy’s high lifts were getting smashed down, plenty of errors dumped into the net and he wasn’t quite as sharp in the forecourt.
Comeback
Prannoy had won six of his eight matches after losing the first game this season, and would show how he does it in. There was rage and fury in his stomping steps now, and an added verve and speed to his smashes. He started smashing long because the steep hits were getting picked Weng. His variations from the backcourt kicked in, though he remained conservative at the net till the end.
He would begin to defend more doggedly in the second from 7-7, and put in the hard low retrievals, prolonging the rallies and getting Weng to hit into the net and going for the lines, as the Chinese started hitting wide. It was like a steam engine picking up its chugging pace, yet Weng kept up till 15-15 and even 19-19.
Weng, in fact, led 19-17 before Prannoy’s whirring hand speed caught up. A fast push at 19-18 was followed a cross- smash after making Weng scurry around the court. Back and forths followed – Prannoy had a quick backhand net winner for his first game point but hit out the next instant. The Indian would again swat at the net moving in quickly for 21-20, but Weng would send a return behind Prannoy and follow up with a smash to save his second game point. After 36 minutes of fast exchanges, Weng would err in defending, and get dragged into a decider.
Prannoy held the advantage up until 19-14 in the decider, but could only score one point after that compared to Weng’s eight.
“This is sport, and I’m pleased with the way Prannoy fought back in the second. After the first, he found a weakness and crawled back in the second. I’m sure his body is hurting in many places, but it lasted through three weeks of intense matches which is phenomenal. Prannoy played his heart out and it was a great game,” Gopichand would say.

He was especially happy that Prannoy had played the week well, taking out the World No. 2 Anthony Ginting. “I told him let’s celebrate what we have, not what we lost. It’s fantastic he beat the World No. 2, so we will celebrate the silver.”
He would urge Prannoy to shrug off this result and focus on the next target. “Ten days later is the World Championship and no one has the luxury to sit and sulk. On the Tour, these results happen, I’ll tell Prannoy to just chill about this defeat, and get back to training tomorrow morning. The World Championships is a big deal, he’s not 21 and has lost time already to injury and unlucky results. But he’s playing so well, and I’m very happy with his physicality, game and mentality,” Gopichand said.