India’s Kiran George continued his impressive run at the Korea Masters badminton tournament, upsetting third seed Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei in a thrilling three-game match to reach the men’s singles quarterfinals.
The 24-year-old Indian, ranked 44th in the world, displayed grit and determination to overcome his higher-ranked opponent, who is ranked 31st. George started strongly, taking the first game 21-17. However, Jen fought back in the second game, leveling the match with a 21-19 victory.
Undeterred, George regained his composure in the decider, racing to an 8-2 lead. Jen gradually closed the gap, but George held his nerve to seal the game 21-17 and secure his place in the last eight.
George’s victory was particularly impressive considering he had to dig deep in his opening round match against Vietnam’s Kuan Lin Kuo, winning 15-21, 21-12, 21-15.
In the quarterfinals, George will face fifth seed Takuma Obayashi of Japan, who is ranked 22nd in the world. George will be aiming to continue his giant-killing run and reach the semifinals of the BWF Super 300 tournament.
George’s performance in Korea is a testament to his growing maturity and consistency on the international stage. The Indian shuttler has been steadily climbing the world rankings and is now knocking on the door of the top 30.
