Japan Open 2019 | Sai Praneeth bows out in straight games against Kento Momota
Sai Praneeth, India’s last hope at the 2019 Japan Open, crashed out in straight games to world no.1 Kento Momota, who cruised to his second straight final in Tokyo. Momota beat Praneeth 21-18, 21-12 to enter the finals where he will face off against Jan O Jorgensen or Jonatan Christie on Sunday.
With PV Sindhu falling to Akane Yamaguchi in the quarterfinals, Praneeth was left the last standing Indian in Tokyo. But facing off against the home favorite, looking to defend the title, nobody really expected the 26-year-old Indian to pull off the spectacular. Praneeth had never beaten Momota since 2013.Â
However, the Round 1 clash in Singapore must’ve given Praneeth some confidence. There, he came back from 13-19 down to level at 20-all in the third game, before eventually losing out. Adding that to the form he has carried in Tokyo, all wasn’t lost for the Indian prior to the match.Â
All this build-up showed in the opening game, as the two exchanged leads in what was already proving to be a classic encounter. However, it was Momota who raced to a 7-11 lead at the mid-game break. Praneeth, known best for his late deception, clawed his way to win four straight points. Then, Momota struck back to win five of the next six, and eventually closed out the game to win it 18-21.Â
The second game promised much more for Praneeth as he opened up a three-point lead at 9-6. But, what followed is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Praneeth’s game. His inconsistency under pressure saw the Japanese win six points on the trot, then another six points from 12-15 to seal a spot in the final. Towards the end, the wheels had truly come off for Praneeth.Â