4 min readJul 22, 2025 10:59 AM IST
First published on: Jul 22, 2025 at 10:59 AM IST
As the players changed ends in the decider the scoreboard read 2-11. In the final stages of the match, the scoreboard read 15-20. Those are not typically scorelines one makes a comeback from when trailing. But Indian veteran HS Prannoy produced a comeback for the ages as he beat world No 18 Koki Watanabe 8-21, 21-16, 23-21 in a 57-minute thriller in the opening round of China Open, the year’s last Super 1000 event – the top-tier of the BWF World Tour circuit events.
The sporting cliche is sometimes matches can be of two halves. But this one was one of two ends. From the near side as seen on the official BWF single-camera YouTube broadcast, Prannoy struggled. In the opening game, he was never really in the contest, constantly sending his lifts beyond the backline. Even on the near side, he was judging the length wrong, letting it shuttles drop inside. It was an indication of the 33-year-old not reading the drift right.
But once he went to the far side, Prannoy was much more in control. The half smashes were catching Watanabe short, the flatter exchanges from Prannoy had more zing, and his judgment of lengths was much more efficient. And after a neck-and-neck start to the game, Prannoy started to slowly inch ahead post interval. He forced the decider 21-16.
However, the start of Game 3 – as he was back to the near side – was anything but ideal. Once more the shuttles started missing the lines, and while drift certainly seemed to be playing its part, Prannoy was also guilty of missing his target while trying to go for his attacks. He trailed by 9 points and despite the control he showed from the other side, it appeared that the match was firmly heading Watanabe’s way.
But the Indian made a quick start after the interval, reeling off 5 quick points to starting closing the gap. From there it was a bit of cat-and-mouse. Serving at 15-18, Prannoy thought he was about to close the gap to 2 points as he hit a backhand kill-shot at the net, but Watanabe pulled off a rare behind-the-back winner with some amazing reflexes; it left Prannoy left flat on the court with the racket flying away as he put in a dive. That could well have been the turning point as soon after play resumed Watanade had 5 match points.
Prannoy, though, had other ideas. It was the rally at 16-20 that was the first sign that the Indian wasn’t going down without a fight. In a nearly 50-shot exchange, Prannoy had a couple of short lifts that could have easily been put away by Watanabe – he just needed the shuttle to hit the court one more time to win the match. But Prannoy somehow stayed alive, won that marathon exchange, and started to believe. There would another reflex winner, this time from Prannoy and the gap quickly vanished, as he won six straight points to go up 21-20. Watanabe saved one match point but eventually, Prannoy prevailed on his second opportunity to let out a massive roar.
HS Prannoy in action at the China Open on Tuesday, the year’s last Super 1000 event. (BWF/Badminton Photo) 
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