HS Prannoy dethroned reigning champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 13-21, 21-15, 21-16 in the quarterfinals of the BWF World championships in Copenhagen on Friday.
After Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen knocked out favourites Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty 21-18, 21-19 in the men's doubles quarterfinals, it looked like India would returning empty-handed for the first time in 10 year s. However, Prannoy lifted Indian spirits with the biggest upset of the tournament by ousting the Olympic champion.
After being outplayed in the first game, Prannoy raised his game. He retrieved everything and hit the lines to dominate the lanky Dane in the 68-minute contest. Prannoy will face Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the semifinals on Saturday.
Satwik-Chirag duo ousted
Earlier, Satwik-Chirag found it difficult to handle the left-right combination and were unable to match their pace. The Danes got off to a 5-1 start in the first game and led 11-6 at the break.
They restricted the Indians from playing their trademark smashes and also adopted an aggressive approach. Satwik-Chirag reduced the deficit to 19-18 but the former's service error handed game point to the Danes. In the second game, Rasmussen played well in the first half, when his service returns fetched at least half-a-dozen points.
The Danes peppered their opponents with smashes and returned everything as the Indians' defence cracked.
