Technoglitch
Core Member
Three-time champion Lee Chong Wei was upset in the first round of the badminton All-England Championships on Wednesday
Just when the round seemed set to finish virtually incident-free, the last match of an 11-hour day stunned the remaining fans, as B. Sai Praneeth of India, who lost all four previous meetings with Lee, ousted the second-seeded Malaysian 24-22, 22-20 in what he called his "greatest victory ever."
The defeat ended Lee's 21-match winning streak, which included titles in France, China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia since October. They helped him rebound quicker than even he expected from an eight-month doping suspension last year, and rise in the rankings from 182 to 2.
Praneeth was promoted from qualifying late after teammate and Commonwealth champion Parupalli Kashyap withdrew with an injured knee.
He came from 15-7 down to tie the first game. Lee was first to game point but Praneeth got him on his third game point. In the second game, Lee led 16-10 then 17-12, but Praneeth tied him at 19, rubbed out a game point for Lee, and won the last three points.
Lee's exit opened up the bottom half of the draw. The top half was top heavy with top-ranked Chen Long, the defending champion, Chinese teammate and five-time champ Lin Dan, and third-seeded Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark, all of whom won their openers in straight sets.
B. Sai Praneeth Stuns Lee Chong Wei in All-England Championship First Round - Badminton News
Just when the round seemed set to finish virtually incident-free, the last match of an 11-hour day stunned the remaining fans, as B. Sai Praneeth of India, who lost all four previous meetings with Lee, ousted the second-seeded Malaysian 24-22, 22-20 in what he called his "greatest victory ever."
The defeat ended Lee's 21-match winning streak, which included titles in France, China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia since October. They helped him rebound quicker than even he expected from an eight-month doping suspension last year, and rise in the rankings from 182 to 2.
Praneeth was promoted from qualifying late after teammate and Commonwealth champion Parupalli Kashyap withdrew with an injured knee.
He came from 15-7 down to tie the first game. Lee was first to game point but Praneeth got him on his third game point. In the second game, Lee led 16-10 then 17-12, but Praneeth tied him at 19, rubbed out a game point for Lee, and won the last three points.
Lee's exit opened up the bottom half of the draw. The top half was top heavy with top-ranked Chen Long, the defending champion, Chinese teammate and five-time champ Lin Dan, and third-seeded Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark, all of whom won their openers in straight sets.
B. Sai Praneeth Stuns Lee Chong Wei in All-England Championship First Round - Badminton News
