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While all the other Indian men's singles shuttlers have struggled with injuries or inconsistency this year, B.Sai Praneeth has stood out with his determination and tenacity. This season, Praneeth has shown a hunger to excel and some strong motivation which badminton fans never got to see from him before.
Ever the under-achiever, Praneeth finally came into his own and established his immense talent with a string of wins at the highest level of the sport. Nowadays he doesn't get intimidated by the prospect of facing the champions nor does he get affected by slow starts. All this effort was rewarded with his maiden medal from the BWF World Championships, which also ended India's 36-year medal drought in men's singles.
After losing to World No.1 Kento Momota in the Round of 16 at the Denmark Open, Praneeth took a break to rest and recharge his batteries, which is why he didn't participate at the French Open. That break must have done him a world of good and must have helped him prepare for a tough Asian swing which has started with the Fuzhou China Open this week.
In the first round, the World No.11 faces the veteran Tommy Sugiarto, who is currently placed five spots below him in the BWF World Rankings. Praneeth should be able to draw loads of inspiration from his recent encounters with the Indonesian, even though the two are locked at 2-2 in their head-to-head record.
Praneeth has been able to master the former World Championships bronze medallist in their last two meetings with his most recent victory coming at the Japan Open this year, where the Indian was able to register a 21-12, 21-15 win.
Given the form Praneeth is in currently, one can expect the same result from the Indian's racquet.
Here is all you need to know about Fuzhou China Open 2019
Tournament: Fuzhou China Open 2019
Category: BWF Super 750
Location: Fuzhou, China
Venue: Haixia Olympics Sports Center
Prize Money: US$700,000
Schedule: Sai Praneeth vs Tommy Sugiarto expected to be at approx 12 noon IST on November 6, 2019
Where to watch the matches in India?
There won't be telecast live today. However, live telecast of the tournament will be available on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD from November 8.
Live Stream Details and Info for the matches:
Fuzhou China Open 2019 can be streamed live on Hotstar from November 8. You can still follow the proceedings today on live score here.
