Picture Credit: Twitter
India star shuttler HS Prannoy lost the final clash of the Australian Open 2023 on August 6, Sunday. World No. 9 ranked men’s singles shuttler, Prannoy locked horns with China’s Weng Hong Yang in the summit clash and went down 9-21, 23-21, 20-22 in a grueling match that lasted for more than an hour.
After losing the first game by a huge margin, Prannoy bounced back in the second round, and maintained his lead. Giving a tough competition to his Chinese rival, the Indian shuttler came on the top of the round and forced a decider. However, his efforts fell short, and Yang clinched the victory at game point of the third round.
The 31-year-old sailed into the finals on the back of his win against compatriot Priyanshu Rajawat, whereas Weng took down Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the semifinal battle. Before this, Prannoy and Weng squared off in Malaysian Masters’ final round, where the Indian star took down the Chinese shuttler to clinch the title.
The clash also marked the second final appearance for both the shuttlers on the BWF Tour this year. In addition to this, the Indian shuttlers await the draws of World Championship 2023 which are scheduled for August 8, Tuesday.
