India’s HS Prannoy expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of Hawk-Eye technology after being eliminated in the Round of 16 at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 in Ningbo. The lack of advanced officiating tools raised concerns over the standards at a prestigious competition.
In a social media post, Prannoy highlighted the absence of Hawk-Eye on Court 2 during a Super 1000 event, noting the impact of a disputed line call in his match against China’s Weng Hong Yang. Despite a close fight, Prannoy suffered a straight-games loss of 12-21, 19-21 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, ending his quarterfinal aspirations.
While Prannoy started strong by defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Hai Dang 24-22, 21-12 in the first round, he couldn’t maintain the momentum. The controversial call added to the frustration in an otherwise competitive performance, contributing to India’s setbacks at the tournament.
Prannoy’s exit joined a series of disappointments for India, including PV Sindhu’s Round of 16 defeat against China’s Wang Zhi Yi. Sindhu’s 21-18, 21-8 loss saw her struggle to capitalize on key opportunities, allowing Wang to secure a comfortable victory. Earlier, Lakshya Sen, Malvika Bansod, and Tanvi Sharma also exited in the opening rounds.
Despite the challenges, 20-year-old Ayush Shetty emerged as India’s standout performer by reaching the quarterfinals with impressive straight-game victories over higher-ranked opponents. Shetty’s upcoming match against Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie presents a beacon of hope for India in an otherwise demanding campaign.