After toiling on the circuit for 15 years, HS Prannoy finally realised his dream when he stood on the podium to receive his first World Championships medal, a bronze, at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen on Sunday.
The 31-year-old caused the upset of the tournament on Friday when he beat home favourite, world No.1, top seed, defending champion and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, Viktor Axelsen, to seal the medal.
Though he lost to Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-finals, the world No.9 ensured the streak of Indian shuttlers not returning empty-handed from the World Championships since 2011 continued.
In an interview, Prannoy discusses his great run, victory over Axelsen, the upturn in his career at this late stage, his immediate future and plans for celebration.
Excerpts:
Finally, a World Championships medal. Describe your emotions.
Disappointed, because I wanted to play the final. It is such a big stage. But I have to think a little differently, the fact that I had a very good week. Yesterday too I was there but the legs were not pushing enough, they were tired. I was not able to push through a lot of points but when you look at the entire week, I had very good matches and could pull through. To come back with a medal, yeah, very happy because I never expected a medal from this Worlds. Looking at the draw, it was one of the toughest.
How special is this medal given how you earned it, beating Axelsen?
He is someone who is consistently winning tournaments. Lot of people are not able to beat him. After stepping inside the stadium it felt huge. I could not see even a single empty seat. The entire crowd was backing him. It was such a big occasion. I wasn’t concerned about winning or losing. I was telling myself to just enjoy the atmosphere which I wasn’t going to get again. That made a huge difference. Beating him in his home is always tough, but I was playing well and could execute strategies. Victory against Axelsen got me this medal, which is even more satisfactory.
You played marathon matches. Kunlavut is 22, do you think age made the difference in the end?
Fatigue had been building since Australia (Open). We hardly got a week to come back and train to get back to something like the Worlds. The schedule has been packed and Australia was a good tournament for me, playing a Super 500 final. There too matches were really long. The body was in much better shape there. I felt fatigue was setting in for the last two weeks – getting to the Worlds, playing tough matches from the first round. Kunlavut is much younger, so he is going to be much fresher getting into these matches. I’m not really worried about what happened. I have to take a lot of positives from this tournament. I had to play a lot of different type of players, but I adapted really well. In the semis too, strategy-wise I was up there. I just needed my legs a little bit more. I could have played much better in the second game, but it is what it is. Just have to take these tough losses and keep working.
You’ve had quite a turnaround in the last two years, dropping out of top 30, not being selected for the Commonwealth Games, not playing well. And then this incredible run in 2023.
The thought process keeps changing. When you’re out of the top 30, the immediate targets are different. Now they are different. Back in the day the target was how to play tournaments when there was no funding. Lot of things were happening at that time, when you are out of the top 30. That was a different struggle; more than getting into rankings, when you are not in the best shape you want to build that physical strength, come back into the world’s top 10. So, you have to trust a lot of things and start working on something new. All those things took time. The last one-and-a-half years a lot of things fell in place. The coaches (Pullela Gopichand and RMV Gurusaidutt) have been able to push me on court. In sessions, we worked on specific things correctly, which we have been able to do before tournaments and which are working for me. They are also able to travel for tournaments, which makes a big difference. That connect is building and it is much easier to play when you have people like them around, sitting behind you for matches. It makes a huge difference to have everyone on the same page — coaches, physios, trainers. It is very important to get the performance going because your on-court performance needs to be in sync with what you’re doing off-court. They know what all things are missing and what we need to work on. That ecosystem has been managed well in the last two years. That has made my life much easier. I don’t have to call everybody and say things. They are all connected with each other, so that is a big change that has happened. It feels good to have such supporting people around so that I am able to focus.
You spoke about targets. What is next?
Targets are always short term. The last few months have been really great. A lot of good results. This Worlds medal I will cherish for a very long time. Last year too, I wished I was on the podium, but it didn’t happen. But God gave me a chance this time and I could grab it to come back with a medal.
How are you celebrating?
I wish I could have celebrated more but in a week we have to leave for China (Open). I have got two more days in Denmark, will just explore the country a little bit.
You’re in the form of your life since you got married last year. Did it change something?
(Laughs) Yeah, maybe. She (Swetha Gomes) is the lucky charm. It is tough looking at the calendar to see how many weeks we have to be away, spending absolutely no time with the family. I have not gone home since my marriage last September. It’s almost a year and I haven’t seen my parents. That is how our schedule is. It is mentally taxing. We want to have that break and give that time to not just my wife, but the entire family. That is one thing that hurts when you are playing at this level. You just have to take it. She’s been very supportive, understands the game really well and follows it, not just my matches. As a couple it is tough to get that time for each other. So, when I go home, I make sure I don’t go out much and just stay at home.
