New Delhi: Persistent injuries and health problems might have jolted HS Prannoy’s career but haven’t been able to dampen his spirit as he insists on returning to the top bracket of world badminton.
The 32-year-old has suffered from various injuries and health ailments in recent years with chikungunya infection dampening his Paris Olympics campaign.
He has since been beaten in the second round of Malaysia Super 1000 and slumped to a 21-16, 18-21, 12-21 defeat to Su Li Yang of Chinese Taipei in the India Open Super 750 in New Delhi on Wednesday.
His ailments began in 2018 when he was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux after which he contracted COVID-19 in 2020. Prannoy had taken those setbacks in stride to lead India to a historic Thomas Cup win, grabbing an individual bronze medal at the Asian Games and World Championships.
But just when things looked up, he suffered a gastrointestinal disorder, followed by chikungunya weeks before Paris 2024.
“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 said, as quoted by PTI.
“Post-Chikungunya, it was really tough to get back to normal. Being on the court probably shows how bad the after-effects were. I’m around 60-70% in terms of fitness. It was important for me to keep playing in the circuit and stay involved.
“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.
‘Ready to work hard’
Prannoy is aware that a combination of advanced age and health woes have made it tougher for him to stay in touch with the top bracket of world badminton but it won’t dissuade him trying harder.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
“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.
HS Prannoy has suffered from various injuries and health ailments in recent years with chikungunya infection dampening his Paris Olympics campaign. Badminton Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
