Nguyễn Hải Đăng's Journey Ends at Syed Modi International Men's Singles Quarterfinals
Ashley
Sun Dec 08 2024
Syed Modi International has become a battleground for badminton players to showcase their skills. For Vietnamese shuttlers, only Nguyễn Thùy Linh seems capable of shouldering the burden in Super 300 events, with her recent achievement in reaching the finals of the 2024 German Open. However, male players still find the Super 300 level quite challenging. At the 13th edition of the Syed Modi International held in Lucknow, India from November 26 to December 1, 2024, Nguyễn Hải Đăng achieved a career-best performance but bowed out in the men's singles quarterfinals.
As the 2nd seed, Indian shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat, ranked 34th in the world, proved to be a formidable opponent for Vietnamese players. Nguyễn Hải Đăng faced a tough challenge and succumbed to a 13-21, 8-21 defeat against the "Little Momota," finding no room for victory. In the first game, Rajawat swiftly dominated, leading 10-2 by scoring 9 out of 10 points consecutively, leaving Vietnamese fans disheartened. Despite Nguyen Hai Dang's efforts to claw back, the gap was too wide, resulting in significant pressure leading to unforced errors, especially as the opponent reached 8 game-points at 20-12.
The second game painted an even bleaker picture for Nguyễn Hải Đăng. The 2nd-seeded Indian swiftly raced to a 9-1 lead. While there was a fleeting comeback attempt from Nguyễn Hải Đăng after the break, it was insufficient, as his opponent surged to 20-6. Faced with 14 match-points, Nguyễn Hải Đăng could only salvage 2 before succumbing to a player well-versed in countering his attacking style.
Despite his valiant effort at the Syed Modi International, Nguyễn Hải Đăng faced a formidable foe in Priyanshu Rajawat and was unable to advance further in the tournament. This setback highlights the competitive nature of Super 300 events and the necessity for Vietnamese male players to continue honing their skills in order to excel at this level of badminton competition.