Malaysia Masters 2023 Highlights: HS Prannoy reaches final after opponent retires; PV Sindhu knocked out

Christian Adinata is forced to leave the court on a wheelchair. He is confirmed to have retired from the match.

Prannoy will face either Lin Chu Yi of Chinese Taipei or China’s Weng Hong Yang in the title clash.

We’re ready for the opening game. The scores will read Prannoy-Adinata.

• 1-0: Prannoy serves. An exchange at the net following which Prannoy sends it back. Adinata’s drop lands wide.
• 2-0: Adinata’s forehand smash hits the net.
• 3-0: Prannoy disguises a slice to the right side and Adinata fails to connect.
• 4-0: Prannoy hits a cross-court forehand winner.
• 5-0: Adinata’s drop fails to clear the net.
• 6-0: Prannoy is waiting for his opponent’s drop. Packs a smash to win the point.
• 7-0: Adinata’s forehand lands in the side gallery.
• 7-1: First point for the Indonesian after Prannoy’s backhand hits the net.
• 8-1: A beautiful cross-court smash from deep in the court. The Indian is reading the game to perfection.
• 9-1: Another point for Prannoy.
• 10-1: Prannoy gets to a return to his right and connects with a drop shot to get the point.
• 11-1: A perfect start for the Indian.
• 11-2: A lucky point for Adinata as his forehand flicks the net and falls short of Prannoy.
• 11-3: Prannoy’s forehand smash meets the net.
• 11-4: Another point for Adinata as Prannoy’s drop return hits the net.
• 12-4: Prannoy defends to stay in the point. Finally gets a return in the arc to pull out a smash and win the point.
• 12-5: Prannoy’s return from the right side is too soft and fails to clear the net.
• 12-6: Prannoy’s cross-court slice from deep lands just wide.
• 12-7: An exchange at the the net. A rally from deep in the court before Prannoy’s shot is too long.
• 13-7: Adinata’s attempt to hurry a shot from close to the net proves costly.
• 13-8: Prannoy’s overhead return goes into the side gallery.
• 14-8: Prannoy is quick to get to a return over his head. Middles a smash and beats Adinata’s defence.
• 14-9: An unforced error by Prannoy. Hits a comfortable forehand into the net.
• 14-10: A smash by Adinata into the body of Prannoy.
• 15-11: Adinata’s run of point ends with a forehand shot running into the net.
• 15-12: Prannoy is rushed into a backhand along-the-line and he ends up hitting it in the net.
• 15-13: Prannoy digs a return for a smash but gives away the point with an error on a drop shot.
• 15-14: Prannoy is too late to get to a deep return from Adinata. He thinks it lands beyond the back gallery and challenges. Loses the call.
• 15-15: A down-the-line smash timed to perfection by Adinata. He gets level.
• 16-15: Prannoy with a disguised forehand drop. Looks like playing it deep but checks the shot at the last second.
• 16-16: Prannoy is able to decieve Adinata with a cross court sliced forehand but the line umpire says it landed wide.
• 17-16: Prannoy gains control of a rally and ends it with a powerful smash from the middle of the court.
• 17-17: Adinata reads a drop shot and plays a forehand to meet it. No chance for Prannoy to defend that.
• 18-17: Adinata pokes out his racquet at a shot going wide. He is unable to middle it either and ends up hitting the net.
• 19-17: Adinata’s knee is injured while landing after a shot. He is down on the ground. Seems like the end of the contest.

HS Prannoy (IND) vs Chrsitian Adinata (INA) - Men’s Singles

Tunjung leads 1-0. The scores will read Sindhu-Tunjung.

• 0-1: Tunjung to serve. Gets the point with a simple put away shot from close to the net. Makes Sindhu work back and forth and gets ample room to hit the winner.
• 1-1: Sindhu with a cross court smash to the front of the court. Tunjung gets to it but can only find the net.
• 2-1: Sindhu with a down the line forehand smash.
• 3-1: Sindhu sends the serve high. And Tunjung’s return finds the side gallery.
• 4-1: Tunjung with another shot into the side galley - this time to Sindhu’s right.
• 4-2: Sindhu’s drop return goes wide.
• 4-3: Tunjung gets back to back points. She runs back to get under the shuttle and puts away a cross court winner.
• 4-4: Sindhu with a shot deep into the court but misses the back gallery.
• 4-5: Sindhu unable to reach to heer right on a smash by Tunjung.
• 5-5: The Indian gets her opponent down with shot to Tunjung’s left. This is followed by a put-away winner to the right.
• 5-6: Tunjung gets to a shot close to the net and wins the point with a backhand drop.
• 5-7: Another one of Sindhu’s shots goes beyong the baseline.
• 6-7: The Indian wins a point thanks to an unforced error by Tunjung.
• 6-8: Tunjung forces Sindhu to the back of the court from where her cross-court reply hits the net.
• 7-8: Tunjung’s sliced drop shot lands wide in the side gallery.
• 7-9: Another point with a well-disguised back hand drop sent across the court.
• 8-10: Sindhu lets the shuttle fall behind her. Perfect judgement as the shuttle lands out of bounds.
• 9-10: Tunjung’s overhead return goes into the side-gallery.
• 9-11: Great defence by Tunjung. Rushes to the front and pushes a drop to the back gallery. Sindhu leaves estimating it to go out but it lands inside.
• 10-11: Tunjung’s backhand return from close hits the net.
• 10-12: Sindhu’s forehand from the right side lands in the side gallery.
• 10-13: Good defence by the Indian but Tunjung is too good. Gets the point with a forehand smash down the right side.
• 11-14: Tunjung wins a point after Sindhu’s unforced error on a drop.
• 11-15: Tunjung with a forehand winner to the right side of Sindhu.
• 11-16: Sindhu gets a return at her body and tries to meet it with a backhand but hits the net.
• 12-16: Tunjung’s forehand is into the side gallery.
• 13-16: A long rally ends with Tunjung’s cross-court shot hitting the net.
• 13-17: Sindhu’s return from the front of the court is dragged out to the side gallery.
• 14-17: Tunjung’s forehand return rams into the net.
• 14-18: Tunjung gets a forehand winner.
• 14-19: Sindhu’s return falls beyond the back gallery.
• 14-20: Sindhu is forced to get a return from deep in her court. She ends up hitting it into the net.
• 15-20: Saves one match point with a forehand smash to Tunjung’s left.
• 16-20: Sindhu’s attacks from get go. Wins it with a smash which Tunjung sends into the side gallery.
• 17-20: Sindhu saves another match point.
• 17-21: A long rally between the two players. Sindhu gets to a drop shot but fails to clear the net and that is the final point.

We’re all set to go! The scores will read Sindhu-Tunjung.

• 1-0: Sindhu gets the first point with a cross-court smash.
• 2-0: Tunjung is able to decieve the indian on a drop but her put away smash goes wide.
• 3-0: Brilliant movement by Sindhu. Makes Tunjung run end to end and gets the point with a smash from the net.
• 3-1: First point for the Indonesian comes with a smash from the right side of the court.
• 3-2: The drift takes Tunjung’s shot from a trajectory outside the court to back within. Sindhu had let go of the shot thinking the shuttle to land wide.
• 3-4: Tunjung goes a point ahead with two sliced drop shots on the trot.
• 4-4: Sindhu sends her opponent the wrong way and gets a cross court shot.
• 4-6: Two points on the trot for Tunjung. The second one comes with a sliced drop from deep in her end.
• 5-6: Sindhu with a cross-court winner.
• 6-6: Tunjung goes for a winner down-the-line but sends it out of bounds.
• 6-7: Tunjung turns the face of her racquet as she plays a cross court shot. Is able to get the point as Sindhu is stuck deep in her court.
• 7-7: An unforced error by the Indonesian on a forehand drop shot.
• 8-7: Tunjung’s return is out of bounds.
• 9-7: Sindhu gets her opponent in a pickle with continued attack. Tunjung ends up hitting a return on the net.
• 9-8: Sindhu is stuck to the right side of court and sees a smash fall wide of her reach of the left.
• 10-8: Sindhu tracks back to a deep return and lands a winner down-the-line.
• 11-8: Sindhu reads that a drop shot is coming her way. Smashes the return right back the other way to take the lead at the mid-game interval.
• 11-9: Tunjung with a drop return to Sindhu’s serve.
• 11-10: Next point for Tunjung with a smash along the line.
• 12-10: Sindhu picks out a return and slices it to the front court. Tunjung cannot reach it
• 12-11: An unforced error by Sindhu on a drop shot.
• 12-12: Tunjung gets level with a forehand cross court. Sindhu left it thinking it will go wide.
• 12-14: Tunjung with two straight points. On the second, she works Sindhu to the right and then packs a smash to the left.
• 12-15: Another sliced drop shot with a forehand to take a three-point lead.
• 12-16: A smash from the middle of the court to Sindhu’s left. The Indian tried to get a backhand return but failed ot connect.
• 13-16: Sindhu gets to a shot with a forehand and sends it wide of Tunjung.
• 13-17: Sindhu is able to pick one smash but the second one is too strong for her and Tunjung gets the point.
• 13-18: Sindhu’s forehand from deep cannot clear the net.
• 13-19: The Indian’s backhand cross court lands in the side gallery.
• 14-19: Tunjung hits a smash along the left touchline but sends it wide.
• 14-20: An unforced error bby Sindhu when she was in control of the rally. Good defence by Tunjung.
• 14-21: Tunjung needs just one game point with a sliced drop. Her go-to shot in this game.

The Indian has a 7-1 record against Tunjung. The only loss came in the this year’s Spain Masters final.

Sindhu and her Indonesian counterpart make their way to Court 1.

PV Sindhu (IND) vs Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (INA)

The Malaysian duo of Tan and Thinaah sealed the contest 21-19, 23-21 to advance to the final. The second game saw them come back from 2-12 down. A marathon contest that lasted an hour and 32 minutes.

It’s been a rather quiet year by Sindhu’s standards. She’s only made it to one final - at Spain Masters. She had to settle for the runner-up spot as Tunjung, today’s opponent, defeated her.

Can Sindhu get her revenge in Malaysia?

Tan/Thinaah of Malaysia are up against Jeong/Kim of South Korea in the Women’s Doubles semifinals.

Following this match, we’ll have India’s PV Sindhu in action on Court 1.

R32 - bt Chen Tien Chou 16-21, 21-14, 21-13

R16 - bt Shi Feng Li 13-21, 21-16, 21-11

QF - bt Kenta Nishmoto 25-23, 18-21, 21-13

R32 - bt Line Christophersen 21-13, 17-21, 21-18

R16 - bt Aya Ohori - 21-16, 21-11

QF - bt Yi Man Zhang - 21-16, 13-21, 22-20

Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai bt Seo/Chae 21-19, 13-21, 21-17 - Mixed Doubles

Feng/Huang bt Jomkoh/Paewsampran 21-12, 21-8 - Mixed Doubles

Tan/Thinaah bt Jeong/Kim 21-19, 23-21 - Women’s Doubles

Seo/Chae vs Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai - Mixed Doubles

Tan/Thinaah vs Jeong/Kim - Women’s Doubles

Sindhu vs Tunjung - Womens Singles

Adinata vs Prannoy - Men’s Singles

The live streaming of the Malaysia Masters semifinals will be available on the Voot Select website.

PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy will carry India hopes as the Malaysia Masters 2023 gets to the home stretch on Saturday.

Sindhu overcame China’s Zhang Yi Man on Friday to book a berth in the last-four against Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung.

Prannoy, meanwhile, defeated Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in a three-game thriller to set up the semifinal clash with Christian Adinata of Indonesia.