B Sai Praneeth loses to Kento Momota in semi-final, crashes out of World Badminton Championships

B Sai Praneeth's journey in the World Badminton Championship came to an end as he suffered a 13-21, 8-21 loss to world number one Kento Momota of Japan in Basel on Saturday. Sai Praneeth had a good run in the tournament but against the Japanese shuttler who was at the top of his game, Praneeth was found wanting and he crashed but not before breaking a 36-year jinx in which he became the first Indian shuttler to secure a medal in the World Championship. Sai Praneeth started well and he put Momota under immense pressure as he matched him for strokes and he held his nerve well. At 11-10 in the first game, it seemed the Japanese shuttler would be given a tough fight. However, Momota showed why he is the top-ranked player in the world as he won five straight points to extend his lead. Praneeth never recovered from the loss in momentum and he lost another five consecutive games to lose the first game 13-21.

In the second game, Praneeth once again started well but Momota seized the momentum again and built up a massive lead. Momota won eight straight points and ensured he did not let go of the lead as he won emphatically to clinch the second game by a commanding margin as the match ended in less than 40 minutes. 

Sai Praneeth recorded a stunning straight-game win over Indonesia's Jonatan Christie to seal the semifinal spot and end India's 36-year agonising wait for a men's singles medal at the BWF World Championships in Basel on Friday. World No. 19 Praneeth, who was awarded the Arjuna Award this year, notched up a 24-22 21-14 win over Asian Games gold medallist and World No. 4 Jonatan in the quarterfinals to assure himself of a medal at the prestigious tournament.

Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a men's singles World Championships medal -- a bronze -- in the 1983 edition. Praneeth, who had won the Singapore Open in 2017 and finished runners-up at Swiss Open earlier this year, came into the tournament with a 1-2 head-to-head count against the Indonesian.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• B Sai Praneeth became 1st Indian male shuttler to win a medal after 36 years.
• Prakash Padukone secured bronze in the 1983 World Championship.
• PV Sindhu entered the final of the World Championship for the third straight time.