Lakshya Sen dug deep and battled past compatriot HS Prannoy to seal a quarter-final berth in the men’s singles at the Hong Kong Open 2025 badminton tournament on Thursday.
India’s top-ranked singles player and world No. 20 Lakshya Sen beat HS Prannoy, 34th in the men’s singles badminton rankings, 15-21, 21-18, 21-10 in an hour and eight minutes.
Competing at the Hong Kong Coliseum, Lakshya Sen made a sluggish start, allowing HS Prannoy to dictate terms and pocket the opening game.
Lakshya, the Paris 2024 semi-finalist, began the second game slowly too, trailing 11-9 at the break before clawing back to 13-all.
Though Prannoy edged ahead at 18-17 again, Lakshya earned four straight points to snatch the game and force a decider.
The decider followed a familiar script with Lakshya Sen starting cautiously before finding his rhythm to lead 11-8 at the interval.
He then conceded only two more points en route to wrapping up the match with ease and earning his sixth win in nine meetings against Prannoy.
In the men’s doubles pre-quarterfinals, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also rallied from a game down to beat Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 18-21, 21-15, 21-11 in an hour and three minutes.
Despite trailing 11-7 at the interval and later slipping to 16-10, Satwik and Chirag clawed their way back to 18-18 only for the Thai duo to pick up three straight points and snatch the opening game.
In the second game, Satwik and Chirag kept the Thai duo in check, never allowing them more than a point’s lead before edging 11-10 ahead at the interval. The Indian badminton players then stepped up the intensity, racing to seven game points and forcing a decider.
In the decider, the Indians stamped their authority by opening up commanding lead before sealing victory and booking their place in the quarter-finals of the BWF Super 500 tournament.
Hong Kong Open 2025 badminton: Day 3 India results
Men’s singles
- Lakshya Sen bt HS Prannoy 15-21, 21-18, 21-10
Men’s doubles
- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty bt Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul (THA) 18-21, 21-15, 21-11