BWF World Tour Finals 2022: HS Prannoy stuns world number one Victor Axelsen, ends campaign on a high

Already out of reckoning, top Indian shuttler HS Prannoy stunned world number one and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in three games to end his 2022 BWF World Tour Finals campaign with a memorable win at the Nimibutr Arena in Bangkok on Friday. The tie was already inconsequential for Prannoy, seeded third in the tournament, as he had lost his previous two Group A matches. But, the Indian pulled off a shock 14-21, 21-17, 21-18 win over the top seed Dane in 51 minutes to at least end his campaign on a high. It was Prannoy's second career win over Axelsen, whom he had beaten during the Indonesia Masters last year. However, the head-to-head career record favours Axelsen at 5-2.

On Thursday, Prannoy had lost to China's Lu Guang Zu in his second Group A match to bow out of the semi-final race. The 30-year-old from Kerala had lost 21-23, 21-17, 19-21 in a gruelling 84-minute contest. The top two players in each group will make it to the knockout stage. Prannoy is the lone Indian competing in the season-ending tournament.

(With inputs from PTI)

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