<p>HS Prannoy, the top-ranked male tennis player from India, rallied from a game down to defeat local favorite and reigning champion Viktor Axelsen in the quarterfinals on Friday in Copenhagen, Denmark, securing himself his first BWF World Championships gold.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-147076″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-globe-cships-prannoy-awes-no-1-in-the-globe-axelsen-wins-a-medal-after-quarters-download-2023-08-26t182740.916-11zon.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com globe cships prannoy awes no 1 in the globe axelsen wins a medal after quarters download 2023 08 26t182740.916 11zon” width=”1039″ height=”1187″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-globe-cships-prannoy-awes-no-1-in-the-globe-axelsen-wins-a-medal-after-quarters-download-2023-08-26t182740.916-11zon.jpg 210w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-globe-cships-prannoy-awes-no-1-in-the-globe-axelsen-wins-a-medal-after-quarters-download-2023-08-26t182740.916-11zon-150×171.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1039px) 100vw, 1039px” title=”globe C'ships: Prannoy awes No. 1 in the globe Axelsen wins a medal after quarters 9″></p>
<p>Prannoy became the sixth Indian male singles player to earn a medal at the BWF World Championships with the 13-21, 21-15, 21-16 victory. India has also had at least one medalist in the illustrious competition since 2011.</p>
<p>The men’s doubles second seeds Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were eliminated in the round of 16 earlier in the day, making Prannoy India’s lone hope for a medal. Prannoy, however, entered the match as the underdog against the Dane despite his current form.</p>
<p>In the lead-up to the championship on home soil, Axelsen had won the previous three events and had a 7-2 advantage in their head-to-head record. The world number one seemed to have the upper hand as he jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first game. Prannoy was unable to overcome that gap, but after the mid-game break, he did rediscover his groove, and that unmistakably let his opponent know he was ready for a battle.</p>
<p>In the second game, Prannoy, who had previously defeated 2021 World Champion Loh Kean Yew, had more purpose in his play and was far better able to understand Axelsen’s strokes than in the first. He also started expanding his forehand and backhand smash range, which placed pressure on the Dane right away since he was lacking in opportunities to score points.</p>
<p>The second game’s 49-shot comeback to make it 19-14 demonstrated Prannoy’s fortitude as well as his capacity to take advantage of his chances.</p>
<p>Prannoy was well-prepared to win the duel at the net, which meant that the world no. 1 was continually chasing the shuttle even though the home crowd was banking on Axelesen finding his groove in the final.</p>
<p>When Axelsen reduced the lead from 6–12 to 14–17, there were a few anxious moments, but Prannoy held his position and forced mistakes from his rivals to finish the quarterfinal in an hour and eight minutes. He will now take against Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the third seed, who defeated Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei by scores of 18-21, 21-15, and 21-13.</p>
<p>Shetty and Satwik had earlier lost 21-18, 21-19 against the Danish team of Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarp Rasmussen in the men’s doubles semifinals.</p>
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