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HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth will clash in a blockbuster all-Indian second-round match at the Japan Open 2023 in Tokyo on Thursday, July 27.
Both had easy outings in their respective first-round encounters at this Super 750 tournament. Eighth seed Prannoy knocked out the reigning All England Open champion Li Shi Feng 21-17, 21-13 in his opener. Srikanth, meanwhile, showed glimpses of his champion self as he went on to upset eighth-ranked Chou Tien Chen 21-13, 21-13.
They have now set up their ninth showdown, which all Indian badminton fans will be eagerly waiting for.
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Japan Open 2023, HS Prannoy vs Kidambi Srikanth: Head-to-head and Prediction
Srikanth leads 6-2 in the head-to-head with Prannoy. The World No. 20 won their last two meetings while Prannoy's last victory over Srikanth came in 2019 at this very tournament.
Having edged his compatriot on these courts, the World No. 10 will aim to go for an encore. Prannoy has been India's best men's singles shuttler for quite a few months now. He claimed the Malaysia Masters title this year and has made the semi-finals at the Indonesia Open as well as the quarter-finals at the Malaysia Open, the Badminton Asia Championships and the Taipei Open.
If Prannoy manages to keep his unforced errors in check, he could fancy himself getting a win over the 30-year-old after four years. That said, Srikanth did show sparks in a quality win over Chou Tien Chen, a player who has previously beaten him six times in seven meetings.
Srikanth has three quarter-final appearances this season at the Indonesia Open, Malaysia Masters and the Madrid Spain Masters. While he hasn't been consistent, teaming up with former top 25 player Wiempie Mahardi as his personal coach shows Srikanth's intent and desire to get back to form.
The new partnership certainly took off in the best way possible with the big win over Chou Tien Chen in the Tokyo opener. Srikanth will be hungry to build on it as he faces a familiar foe, HS Prannoy.
With both motivated to excel, we are in for a mouthwatering show of the highest quality of badminton on Thursday.
Read: Japan Open 2023: Preview, schedule, where to watch & live streaming details in India
Japan Open 2023, HS Prannoy vs Kidambi Srikanth: Date and time
HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth will cross swords in the men's singles second round at the Japan Open 2023 on Thursday in the fifth match of the day on Court 3.
Date: July 27, 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Time: Approx. 1 pm local time; 9.30 am IST
Venue: Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Japan Open 2023, HS Prannoy vs Kidambi Srikanth:
Where to watch & live streaming details
This Japan Open match will be broadcast live in India on the Sports18 1 and Sports18 1 HD channels. It will also be shown live on the Jio Cinema app.
Live streaming will be available on YouTube on BWF.TV too. Live scores can also be followed on the tournament software.
