Indonesia Open: HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth continue giant-killing acts; beat Chen Long, Wang Tzu-wei respectively to enter semis

Prannoy thus became the first Indian player to defeat the big three of Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei and Chen Long.

New Delhi: Indian shuttlers HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth continued their giant-killing acts at the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier on Friday by defeating reigning Olympic and World champions Chen Long of China and Wang Tzu-wei of Taiwan in their respective men's singles quarter-final matches at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).

Prannoy, who defeated Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei yesterday, shocked the world number eighth from China in a grueling three-game slugfest. The 24-year-old Indian won the match 21-18, 16-21, 21-19 in one hour and 15 minutes.

It was their fourth meeting, with the former world number one leading 3-1.

He thus became the first Indian player to defeat the big three of Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei and Chen Long. In 2015 French Open Super Series, Prannoy defeated the Chinese great Dan in three games, 14-21, 21-11, 21-17, to announce his arrival in the big stage.

The 25th-ranked player's upsets in these two successive days will be remembered for a long time in Indian badminton.

He will play the winner of Japanese Kazumasa Sakai and Briton Rajiv Ouseph in the semi-final.

But it was a relatively easy outing for his Indian compatriot Srikanth, who beat higher ranked Wang (19) in straight games, 21-15 21-14 in just 37 minutes. It was their second meeting, and the head-to-head record now stands at 1-1. Wang had won their previous meeting at Chinese Taipei Open in 2015.

The 22nd-ranked Indian will play Wan Ho Son in the semi-final. The South Korean defeated Taiwanese Tien Chen Chou 21-15, 21-17 in another quarter-final match.

Srikanth survived an intense match yesterday to beat fourth seed Denmark's Jan O Jorgensen 21-15, 20-22, 21-16.