Malaysia Masters 2023 Finals Highlights: HS Prannoy beats China's Weng Hong Yang to win men's singles title

Hello and welcome to the Khel Now live blog for the Malaysia Masters 2023 finals! Stay tuned for live updates as titles are up for grabs in the Malaysia Masters 2023 finals.

Malaysia Masters 2023 Finals Lineup

XD: Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping vs Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai

WS: Akane Yamaguchi vs Gregoria Mariska Tunjung

WD: Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee vs Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan

MS: HS Prannoy vs Weng Hong Yang

MD: Kang Min Hyuk/SEO Seung Jae vs Man Wei Chong/Kai Wun Tee

Malaysia Masters 2023, a BWF Super 500 Tournament, started on May 23 and will continue till May 28. The inaugural edition was held in 2009. This will be its 14th edition. India have won three titles here and all came in the women’s singles category. PV Sindhu won twice in 2013 and 2016, while Saina Nehwal won in 2017.

This time Indian shuttlers will look to end the title drought here and would want to perform well since the Olympic qualification cycle for Paris 2024 has already begun. They would want to get those valuable points. No Doubles players are participating in this tournament so eyes will be all on the singles player to deliver and regain their form.

HS Prannoy became the first Indian man since the Malaysia Masters started in 2009 to reach the final of the tournament. The WR 9 advanced to his maiden final in the Malaysia Masters after his semi-finals opponent Christian Adinata of Indonesia conceded the match following a nasty knee injury. Prannoy was leading the opening game of the men's singles semi-final tie 19-17 when Adinata collapsed to the floor holding his knee. He was later escorted out of the venue on a wheelchair.

This will be Prannoy's final of the season and only second final appearance in the BWF World Tour since a runners-up finish at the Swiss Open last year. He is also chasing his first-ever BWF World Tour title.

While Prannoy advanced, it was sadly over for star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu. A two-time winner of the Malaysia Mastera, Sindhu failed to make it to the title clash after going down to another Indonesian Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in straight games. Sindhu lost 14-21, 17-21 in 44 minutes against the World No. 9 Indonesian. This was also Sindhu's second successive defeat against Tunjung following seven consecutive wins.