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Following a heartbreaking loss, World No. 12 HS Prannoy will look to bounce back against 17th-ranked Lu Guang Zu in his second round-robin match at the BWF World Tour Finals in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday.
After losing the first game against World No. 14 Kodai Naraoka, the Keralite rebounded but came up short 12-21, 21-9, 17-21 in his opener on Wednesday. Following the loss, the Indian is third in Group A, with the first two spots being occupied by World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen and Naraoka.
Prannoy's next opponent, Guang Zu, is at the bottom of the table in the group, having succumbed to a 21-13, 21-11 defeat against world champion Axelsen.
HS Prannoy vs Lu Guang Zu: Head-to-head & prediction
Lu Guang Zu leads HS Prannoy 1-0 in their head-to-head. The Chinese came out on top 21-19, 20-22, 21-19 in a tight clash at the French Open in October this year. Having lost their opening matches in Bangkok, both will be eager to secure a win when they cross swords on Thursday, making this a highly anticipated showdown.
Prannoy has come into the tournament after his most consistent season that saw him finish as the runner-up at the Swiss Open and reach the last eight at the BWF World Championships. Guang Zu's best performance of the season, meanwhile, came at the Australian Open in November, where he went down against compatriot Shi Yuqi in the final in three games.
Considering Prannoy's experience and confident displays throughout the season, the third seed could have a slight edge in this clash. However, he cannot afford to give away free points through net errors if he harbours any hopes of making the knockouts.
HS Prannoy vs Lu Guang Zu: Date and time
HS Prannoy will take on Lu Guang Zu in his second round-robin match at the BWF World Tour Finals 2022 on Thursday. The match will be the sixth of the day on Court 2.
Date: December 8, 2022
Time Approx. 2.45 pm local time; 1.15 pm IST
HS Prannoy vs Lu Guang Zu: Where to watch & live streaming details
The BWF World Tour Finals 2022 is being broadcast live in India on Sports18 1 and Sports18 1 HD channels from December 7. Matches can also be watched on Voot Select.
Live streaming is available on YouTube on BWF.TV in selected territories as well. Live scores can also be followed on the tournament software here.
