Canada Open 2019: Parupalli Kashyap glides past Wang Tzu-wei to enter the final

Parupalli Kashyap defeated Wang Tzu-wei of Chinese Taipei in a thrilling encounter to enter the final of the 2019 Canada Open.

In the first game, Wang showcased some brilliant badminton, preventing the Indian from playing his natural game. Wang went on to win the first game 21-14, taking charge of the match.

However, Kashyap made a strong comeback in the second game. The Indian showed great fighting spirit to win the 2nd set 21-17, forcing the match into a decider. In the deciding game, both players fought for each point. Ultimately, it was Kashyap who held his nerve to seal it 21-18, booking a berth in the final of the Canada Open.

Ranked 36 in the world, Kashyap, with this victory, improved his head-to-head record against Wang to 3-0. He had previously defeated the Chinese Taipei player at the Indian Open in March earlier this year. Kashyap has played some brilliant badminton so far in this tournament and will fancy his chances of going all the way.

The Indian shuttler will take on unseeded Li Shi Feng of China in the final. In the other semi-final, Feng defeated Koki Watanabe of Japan 20-22, 21-10, 21-11 to enter the summit clash.

Kashyap will be looking to put his best foot forward in the final and win his first major title in a long, long time.

On the road to the final, Kashyap defeated Lucas Corvee, Ren Peng Bo and Lucas Claerbout and is now in a great headspace ahead of the summit clash. Indian fans would be hoping to see him win the title and climb up the rankings.

All in all, it's been a mixed tournament for Indian shuttlers. Sourabh Verma reached the quarterfinals, however, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and Ajay Jayaram all lost their respective second round matches.