Olympics: HS Prannoy wins men's singles opener

India's HS Prannoy beat Germany's Fabian Roth in straight games in the men's singles Group K match at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday.

The 13th-seeded Prannoy won 21-18, 21-12 after 45 minutes in a hard-fought match. While the unseeded Roth had a three-point lead in the latter stages of the first game, Prannoy bounced back to take the lead. The Indian badminton player, meanwhile, led throughout the second game, asserting his dominance at La Chapelle Arena.

The 32-year-old Prannoy will take on Vietnam's Le Duc Phat, ranked 71st in men's singles, in his final Group K fixture on Wednesday, July 31 at 11:00 PM IST.

A sharp smash gave him two game points and he converted them after his opponent erred at the net.

Prannoy, who had won bronze medals at the World Championships and the Asian Games last year, looked more at ease in the second game as he found his range and constructed the rallies well to move to 7-3.

Prannoy's net game, attacking shots and deft touch helped him to move to 16-11 in a jiffy. A backhand stroke handed the Indian eight match points and he sealed the affair after Roth sprayed a shot wide.