FRENCH OPEN 2015 R32 – Lin Dan out!

Despite the huge noise the Chinese legend engendered while stepping onto court, Lin Dan was prevented from playing a second match in Paris after India’s H. S. Prannoy decided he would seize the chance to join the very short list of players who have managed to beat the two-time Olympic champion.

By Tarek Hafi, Badzine Correspondent live in Paris.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Known as a slow starter, Lin Dan was not even able to display his game at the 2015 French Open this week, blocked and countered by the amazing H. S. Prannoy, who showed no sign of fear while facing his fabulous opponent. Right after taking the first game, India’s rising star, H.S Prannoy, boosted his game, much more precise and well adjusted to the former world number one’s game.

“I have played really well for the last four months, and this will definitely add more confidence,” said Prannoy, while admitting that the prestige of his opponent was no reason to be shaken off: “I wasn’t really scared.  I prepared well for all the tournaments.  Fitness-wise, I was not behind him and that really gave me confidence.”

After winning 14-21, 21-11, 21-17, the twenty-three year-old Delhi-born player now joined the high society of the constantly rising Indian badminton players, willing to conquer the badminton world: “We all train together and that is the good part of it.  If you have one player in the top level, it becomes a great motivation for you and you can’t lag behind during practice and that really helps and get the best out of you.”

H. S. Prannoy now seems fully ready to take on his second opponent at the Yonex French Open Superseries and that will be Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long who ousted Boonsak Ponsana, another of the big names from Lin Dan’s true heyday.

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