Unpredictable 'Leaking Roof' Postpones HS Prannoy's Malaysia Super 100 Season Opener

It was a weird and frustrating start to the season for India's badminton star, HS Prannoy, as the Malaysia Super 100 tournament unexpectedly halted his match against Canada's Brian Yang in the middle due to an issue with a leaking roof at the Axiata Arena. The match was being suspended for first time in the year from Prannoy as due to rainwater percolating on the court would eventually build upon the formation there. There was enough water pool to be built between the puddles in the front court left-hand portion.

When this was on with 21-12, 6-3, it got quite challenging due to this when the leakage would be made at times with disruption in games when water from a roof is making seep inside. The officials had to stop the game for a little while as the rain persisted and placed them in a surprise situation. Waiting for the players, staff, and the spectators were as the organizers tried to find ways to control this unusual interruption. After some extra hour, the match continued at 4:15 PM but not exactly fixed; the match was stopped again minutes after its continuation.

When the match was stopped for the second time, Brian Yang had pulled ahead in the second game to lead 11-9. According to a statement to PTI, India's coach RMV Gurusaidutt confirmed the suspension of the match, mentioning that the score would be carried over into the next day. Prannoy and Yang will resume their match on Wednesday with the score set at 21-12, 9-11.

The bizarre drama played out when Prannoy observed the water gathering on the court's surface and reported it to the chair umpire. The tournament organizers immediately did a quick probe and confirmed that there was an issue with the leaking roof. This led to the suspension of play on Court 3, and also influenced the matches that were going on at Court 2, owing to the same issue. Court 1 was fortunately not affected and continued its scheduled proceedings.

While the crowd and players waited for the situation to be rectified, the organizers were seen using white towels to try to dry the courts. It was a chaotic scene as towels were frantically moved across the surface to absorb the water and minimize further delays. The bizarre spectacle left everyone involved scrambling to address the unexpected and rare problem.

This was particularly trying for Prannoy, who is back to competing after his Olympic stint. Not only did this disrupt his game but also delayed the opener of the season, which for him was just getting underway before facing this sudden, unexpected hindrance. All seemed well on track as he easily led into the first game and will pick up from that spot the following day.

In contrast to the bad luck Prannoy faced, the women's doubles was a much smoother ride for India's Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. The pair played the Thai pair Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sukitta Suwachai and took a straight-game win. The sixth-seeded Indian pair defeated their unseeded opponents 21-10, 21-10 in just 30 minutes to qualify easily for the round of 16.

Treesa and Gayatri, on a high from the success they have achieved at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament in Lucknow, were not about to let this one slip through their fingers. They came storming into the first game, 17-8, and Jongsathapornparn and Suwachai couldn't catch up. In the second game, Jongsathapornparn and Suwachai had a short fight back and made it 8-all. And here, Treesa and Gayatri took charge and ran away fast with the game to ensure direct qualification into the next round of the tournament. While Prannoy's had to be left in the hangar due to the leaking roof, Treesa and Gayatri's straightforward one marked the opening day with much more traditional characteristics. It was a reminder that the sports world is unpredictable and how weather conditions can sometimes just go haywire, disrupting a well-oiled machine of competition. Prannoy's fans will now have to wait to see if the Indian star can shake off the disruption and continue his strong form in the days to come in the tournament.