Prannoy signs off with maiden World Championships bronze medal after losing semifinal to Vitidsarn
Copenhagen, Aug 26: HS Prannoy's dream run at the World Championships ended after he lost in three games to world number 3 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the men's singles semifinal to sign off with a bronze, extending India's record of having at least one medallist in the showpiece since 2011.
The 31-year-old Prannoy squandered an opening game advantage and a 5-1 lead in the second as 22-year-old Vitidsarn, a three-time former world junior champion, showed his mental fortitude and produced better defence and attack to win 18-21 21-13 21-14 and seal a second successive final spot.
Notwithstanding the loss, it was a brilliant achievement for Prannoy as he became only the fifth Indian men's singles player to win a World Championships medal.
Kidambi Srikanth (silver), Lakshya Sen (bronze), B Sai Praneeth (bronze) and Prakash Padukone (bronze) are the other medallists in men's singles.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu won five singles medals, including a gold in 2019, and Saina Nehwal (silver and bronze) claimed two, while the women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa bagged a bronze in 2011 and Satwiksairaj rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched a bronze in 2022.
A day after knocking out Olympic gold medallist and defending champion Viktor Axelsen, ninth-seeded Prannoy, who claimed Malaysia Masters title and a runner-up finish at Australian Open this season, failed to find his best as his defence looked shaky and attack lacked consistency during the 76-minute clash.
Prannoy had lost to Vitidsarn in two tight games at the All England Championships last year and knew about the Thai's defensive prowess and ability to retrieve.
India's top-ranked men's singles shuttler gave his everything and made a good start but signs of exhaustion set in from the second game, perhaps due to the three-game matches that he played in the last two days.
Prannoy started with his trademark straight smash but third seed Vitidsarn produced two winners to claw his way back at 3-3. A short lift was disposed off by Prannoy to make the scoreline 5-5.
The Indian tried to extend the rallies and looked to draw out errors from the Thai as he led 9-5 in a jiffy. Another brilliant cross-court smash and a backhand drop helped the Indian gain 11-5 lead with seven straight points.
Prannoy controlled the rallies and found the backline with his delectable smashes.
Soon, he was up 16-8. The Indian's shot selection was spot on as he followed up his shots at the net well and his attacking crosses made the Thai run from one flank to another.
Prannoy set up a point only to miss it with a casual-looking shot at the net, but he made up for it with an on-the-line-return which gave him three game points. He smashed out next.
Vitidsarn took a medical time out for a bleeding cut on his knee region. On resumption, a tight net shot gave the Indian the bragging rights.
After the change of sides, Prannoy stepped up the pace and produced a pirouette backhand smash, followed by another cross court forehand to open up a 4-0 lead.
Vitidsarn cut the deficit to 4-5 with Prannoy making few errors, including two long shots. The Thai started using diagonal shots and strengthen his defence to draw parity at 5-5.
However, things went downhill for the Indian after that as he committed several errors. His shots started going wide and long too many times.
The Indian tried to reduce the deficit to 12-15 after pouncing on a weak return at net following a lucky net chord. However, Vitidsarn soon moved to 18-13 with a superb hold-and-flick shot to set up a point.
Prannoy then sprayed into net to hand over seven game points to Vitidsarn, who converted after the Indian went long again.
The pace was again up in the early part of the decider with Vitidsarn producing three smashes to go 3-1 up. Two tired looking shots gave Vitidsarn 5-1 lead before Prannoy won a fast-paced rally with a backhand drive.
The Indian looked to step up the attack but struggled with his length at the backline as Vitidsarn led 7-3. A down the line jump smash from Prannoy and a long shot from Vitidsarn helped the Indian make it 7-8.
The young Thai, however, ensured a four points advantage at the interval with a smash and reverse slice.
On resumption, a brilliant tumbling net shot was followed by two net errors as Vitidsarn's lead swelled to 14-8.
A two point burst helped Prannoy make it 10-14 before the Thai produced a delightful backhand return to leave Prannoy flat on the floor.
The Thai soon moved to 19-13 with Prannoy going to net and then wide. The Indian responded with a down-the-line smash. But another return went to net and the Thai had six match points and he converted with Prannoy smashing out again.
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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
