HS Prannoy’s life and career have been on rough tracks in the last few months, but this period of struggle has made him even more determined to keep working hard, for him the key ingredient in staying at the top echelons of world badminton. ‘ Injuries and health issues such as a chikungunya infection saw him making a pre-quarterfinal exit from the Paris Olympics, before a second round appearance Malaysia Super 1000 earlier this month offered a him sliver of hope.
But wheels came crashing down with a 21-16, 18-21, 12-21 defeat to Su Li Yang of Chinese Taipei in the India Open Super 750 here on Wednesday.
“The last few months were tough, but things are surely getting better. I can see improvement in my game as well. I think it’s going to be a tough challenge for me to consistently play at a high level without breaks,” Prannoy told reporters.
Reflecting on his recovery from chikungunya, Prannoy admitted the road back to full fitness has been difficult.
“Post-Chikungunya, it was really tough to get back to normal. Being on the court probably shows how bad the aftereffects were. I’m around 60-70% in terms of fitness. It was important for me to keep playing in the circuit and stay involved,” he said.
“Malaysia was a decent outing, but I had a few niggles after that, which made today tough. But I’m happy to be back on the circuit. Today I was sluggish, but overall, I’m happy with the way I played. We’re just getting started and focusing on playing well in the circuit,” he added.
The 32-year-old now knows staying in the top-30 will require an immense physical and mental effort, considering the average age of players at the highest levels dropping drastically.
“I do love playing in tournaments. I know being in the top-30 in the world is not going to be easy, especially in men’s singles. It’s physically brutal out there. The average age in the top level has come down to 23-24, so it’s crucial to be physically strong,” said Prannoy.
“It takes a lot of work to be physically ready. For some, it might seem easy to play badminton, but it’s actually a very physically demanding game. The time you need to dedicate to the physical side just to play a three-set match every day is enormous,” he added.
In 2018, Prannoy was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, and in 2020, he battled COVID-19.
Despite these setbacks, 2022 and 2023 marked a career resurgence for him, leading India to a historic Thomas Cup win and claiming individual bronze at the Asian Games and World Championships.
However, his world crumbled again early last year with another gastrointestinal disorder, followed by chikungunya just weeks before the Olympics.
“It has been tough but I don’t look back at what has already happened. I focus on getting better and moving forward into the coming months. That’s what I’m looking forward to, and it really doesn’t affect what has happened.
“I’ve accepted that everyone’s journey is different, and mine is different as well. I just need to find the answers to get better. I’m ready to put in the hard work, and no matter what the results are, I’m okay with it,” he noted.
“If I’m working hard, I think somewhere or in some tournament everything will come in place and probably that’s what I’m working hard for.” Prannoy has not been able to train consistently without taking breaks, as lingering pain from chikungunya continues to resurface.
“It’s been up and down in practice sessions, especially after chikungunya. There have been a lot of weird pains coming up randomly during practice, and sometimes I have to back off from the court for a few days to deal with them, then come back and play.” But his motivation remains high.
“I’ve been more motivated in the last six months than I was before. I was really motivated to get back on the circuit and play. I’m always ready for training, and that’s a good sign. But there are going to be bad days when you’re not feeling it. That’s all part of the journey.” But Prannoy has readjusted his sights on short-term goals.
“At this stage in my career, I’m focused more on short-term goals. I’m not looking too far ahead because of what’s happened in the last year. It’s important to keep it short to maintain motivation. When goals are too long-term, you can get mentally dejected if things don’t go your way,” he offered.
“So, I’m focusing on short-term goals, working really hard toward them. With tournaments coming non-stop, we’ll eventually find that good patch, and we’ll have to take advantage of that when it happens.” Prannoy’s next assignment will be in the European circuit, starting with the German Open in late February and looks ahead for brighter days.
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