How did B Sai Praneeth perform at Tokyo Olympics? A detailed look at the Indian badminton player's performance at the previous Olympic Games

B Sai Praneeth had a disappointing campaign at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He was eliminated from the tournament after a defeat in the badminton men’s singles event, losing 21-14, 21-14 to the Netherlands' Mark Caljouw in his second and final Group D match.

Notably, before this, he suffered a defeat against Misha Zilberman of Israel, losing 21-17, 21-15 in straight games in his first group match, which resulted in him being out of contention.

---

A detailed look at B Sai Praneeth vs Mark Caljouw game in Tokyo Olympics

Playing at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, B Sai Praneeth was initially leading 6-0 in the second game but his performance faltered due to a string of errors. However, Caljouw, on the other side, showcased resilience and outstanding defense.

Notably, the veteran Indian shuttler managed to win a few rallies with jumping smashes early in the game. He later faced a formidable challenge as the Dutch shuttler returned every shot. In one instance, he was stuck at the net but managed to scramble back and win a lengthy rally.

After that, Caljow unleashed a flurry of smashes to rush ahead to 17-12. However, Praneeth made a short comeback, earning a couple of points. He failed to maintain his momentum as he fell further behind at 14-18 after mistakenly sending the shuttle long. Eventually, Caljouw sealed the first game 21-14.

The 2019 World Championships bronze medalist then possessed a challenge for the opponent with a 6-0 start in the second. However, Caljouw countered a couple of powerful smashes from the Indian shuttler.

After reaching 4-7, Caljow staged a stunning comeback, leveling the score at 8-8 and subsequently took an 11-9 lead.

B Sai Praneeth's errors continued as he netted an easy smash and misjudged the following shuttle, trailing 10-14. Caljouw took advantage of the Praneeth's mistakes, played jump-smashes and extended his lead to 19-13. A service error from the Indian shuttler, conceding six match points, ended his Olympic campaign in Tokyo.