New Delhi
The India Open continued to make headlines for the wrong reasons as an unusual and unprecedented interruption — bird droppings on the court — disrupted a men’s singles match between former world championships medallists HS Prannoy and Loh Kean Yew at the IG Indoor Stadium.
Already under scrutiny due to concerns over pollution, hygiene and even a monkey straying into the arena earlier in the week, the tournament added another chapter to its list of organisational embarrassments when play was halted twice during the high-profile contest.
The interruptions occurred on Court 1 during Prannoy’s round-of-16 match against Singapore’s Loh. According to Prannoy, the chair umpire stopped play after spotting what appeared to be bird droppings on the playing surface. The first brief halt came in the opening game when Prannoy was leading 16-14, with Loh walking up to the net to inspect the area and visibly recoiling.
The more significant stoppage happened early in the deciding game, with Prannoy leading 1-0, forcing officials to clean the court before resuming play. “I think it was bird shit which kind of halted the game for a while,” Prannoy said later, confirming the unusual cause behind the delays.
Despite the distractions, the match itself was fiercely contested. Prannoy claimed the opening game 21-18, but Loh, the 2021 world champion, showed resilience and composure to claw his way back. The Singaporean edged a tight second game 21-19 before pulling away in the decider to seal a 18-21, 21-19, 21-14 victory.
Loh also spoke about the challenging conditions at the venue, particularly the air quality. “The weather is not so good. It took a toll on my health,” he said. “I breathe lesser here, so I wear my mask whenever I can and try to stay indoors as much as possible.”
With repeated disruptions and mounting criticism, the India Open’s organisational standards remain firmly under the spotlight.
