Rajawat Stuns World Number Four, Reaches Canada Open Semi-Finals

Calgary – Emerging Indian badminton sensation Priyanshu Rajawat has continued his stellar performance at the Canada Open 2024, reaching the semi-finals after a thrilling victory over top seed and world number four Anders Antonsen of Denmark.

Rajawat, currently ranked 39th in the world, defeated Antonsen with a scoreline of 21-11, 17-21, 21-19 in a grueling quarter-final match that lasted one hour and 19 minutes on Friday night. This victory is particularly significant as it marks the 22-year-old Rajawat's first win against a top-10 player.

In the semi-finals, Rajawat will face Alex Lanier of France, marking his second World Tour Super 500 semi-final appearance. Rajawat's journey to the semi-finals has been marked by impressive victories over higher-ranked opponents, including world number 24 Rasmus Gemke of Denmark and world number 33 Takuma Obayashi of Japan in the earlier rounds.

While Rajawat's success has brought joy to Indian badminton fans, there was disappointment in the women's doubles category. The Indian pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, seeded third, were eliminated in the quarter-finals. They lost to the Chinese Taipei duo of Pei Shan Hsieh and En-Tzu Hung with scores of 18-21, 21-19, 16-21.

With Rajawat as the sole Indian contender remaining in the tournament, all eyes are on his upcoming semi-final match, where he aims to continue his remarkable run at the Canada Open 2024.