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India’s HS Prannoy exited the Hylo Open 2026 in the men’s singles first round after losing 21-23, 16-21 to France’s Toma Junior Popov in Saarbrücken, Germany. The match lasted 47 minutes, with Prannoy narrowly missing out in the opening game before Popov closed out the contest in straight games.
The defeat ended Prannoy’s campaign at the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament at the first hurdle. Popov, listed at world No. 13 ahead of the event compared with Prannoy at No. 38, made the key points count when the opening game reached its closing stages and then carried that momentum into the second.
Prannoy and Popov were closely matched in the first game, which went beyond the usual 21-point threshold before the Frenchman took it 23-21. The narrow margin meant Prannoy was only two points away from forcing a different complexion on the match, but Popov held his nerve to claim the opener.
Winning a close first game can be important in a best-of-three badminton match, particularly when both players are under pressure to manage rallies and limit unforced errors. For Prannoy, the missed opportunity meant he had to recover quickly in the second game against an opponent who had already gained the scoreboard advantage.
Popov then secured the second game 21-16. The five-point margin was more decisive than the opener, and it allowed the French player to finish the match without needing a third game. The final score was 23-21, 21-16, with the contest completed in 47 minutes.
Prannoy entered the match as the lower-ranked player in the published tournament preview. The Indian was listed at No. 38 in the BWF rankings, while Popov was listed at No. 13. Rankings do not determine a match, but they provided context for the challenge facing Prannoy against a player positioned among the higher-ranked names in the draw.
Popov’s recent schedule included appearances at the French Open and Denmark Open. At the French Open earlier in October, he reached the quarter-finals before losing to fellow Frenchman Alex Lanier in three games. That run gave him recent match experience on the European circuit ahead of the Hylo Open.
For Prannoy, the Hylo Open was another opportunity to test himself against a leading European opponent on the BWF World Tour. The first-game score showed he was competitive in the contest, but he could not convert that closeness into a game win or extend the match.
Prannoy’s early exit came during a busy opening round for the Indian contingent. Kiran George produced a positive result in men’s singles, beating Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei 21-18, 21-17 in 35 minutes to move into the next round. His straight-games win offered India a success in a draw where several other men’s singles players faced tough assignments.
According to tournament coverage, Tharun Mannepalli and S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian also lost their opening-round matches. Mannepalli was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu Jen, while Muthusamy went down to Finland’s Kalle Koljonen. The results left George among the Indian men’s singles players progressing from the first round.
India’s women’s singles campaign had more encouraging signs, with PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Unnati Hooda, Isharani Baruah and Anmol Kharb among the players reported to have won their opening matches. The contrasting results across the draws underline the demanding nature of a Super 500 event, where players can face high-ranked opposition from the opening stage.
The Hylo Open runs from October 27 to November 1 at Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken. The tournament is part of the BWF World Tour’s Super 500 level, and the remaining rounds will determine the champions across the singles and doubles events.
Prannoy will now turn his attention to the next opportunities on the international circuit after an opening-round defeat in Germany. The narrow first-game loss against Popov will be a frustrating detail, but the result is clear: the Frenchman advanced in straight games, while the Indian’s Hylo Open campaign ended after 47 minutes.
