Sai Praneeth: Nationals will help in preparation for All England Championship

Former champion Praneeth will be one of the favourites to lift the trophy at the 83rd Senior National badminton championships.

Published : Feb 12, 2019 17:59 IST , Guwahati

B. Sai Praneeth is currently ranked 26th in the world and will need a series of consistent performances to earn him a ticket to the Olympics.
B. Sai Praneeth is currently ranked 26th in the world and will need a series of consistent performances to earn him a ticket to the Olympics.
lightbox-info

B. Sai Praneeth is currently ranked 26th in the world and will need a series of consistent performances to earn him a ticket to the Olympics.

Indian shuttler B. Sai Praneeth says he will pick his tournaments carefully in the Olympic qualification year and is eyeing a national title in preparation for the All England Championship next month.

With defending champion H. S. Prannoy and finalist Kidambi Srikanth withdrawing due to fitness issues, former champion Praneeth will be one of the favourites to lift the trophy at the 83rd Senior Nationals, which got underway with the qualifiers in Guwahati on Tuesday.

“Last season, I struggled with my fitness and confidence because there were too many tournaments. So I couldn’t maintain fitness. From June to December, I played continuously, so it was all about fitness. I am fine now and fortunately no injuries,” Praneeth told PTI .

“I am looking forward to All England next month and Nationals will be good match practice to prepare. It will help my confidence ahead of the international events. You have to beat all the top Indian players to win it and it is not easy because everyone is playing well,” said Praneeth, who will also play the Swiss Open this year.

READ | Saina, Sindhu to renew rivalry for Senior National title

The Olympic qualification period will be between April 29, 2019 to April 26, 2020, and the BWF rankings published on April 30, 2020 will decide who makes the cut for the Tokyo Games. Praneeth, who is currently ranked 26th, said he will need a bit of luck and a series of consistent performances to earn him a ticket to the Olympics.

“It is an Olympic qualification year, so scheduling of the tournaments will be important. I can afford not to play a few events. We will need a bit of luck and good performance. I have to play quarters and semis consistently, but that won’t be easy, so you also need a favourable draw sometimes. Indonesia I got Chen Long in first round, so when the seeds lose early, it opens up the draw.”

praneeth-2-vijay-sonejijpg
Praneeth won six of the eight matches he played for the champion Bengaluru Raptors in the Premier Badminton League.
 

New coaches

Badminton Association of India (BAI) has recently appointed two Korean coaches - Kim Ji Hyun and Park Tae Sang - to work with the players ahead of the Olympics.

RELATED | PPBA ropes in Danish legend Frost for one-year coaching

The 26-year-old from Hyderabad, who clinched the Singapore Open in 2017, said he is eager to work with the foreign coaches who will be joining next month.

“They are experienced coaches, who have been associated with the national team last year. So it will help us because Indians have always been struggled with fitness. Even Mulyo (Handoyo) had mostly focused on fitness and it suited us, helped us to perform. Every foreign coach brings a different method, so lets see what they make us do.”

RELATED | Lee Chong Wei delays cancer comeback until April

Under Mulyo, who was roped in by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in 2017, Indian shuttlers had a breakthrough year with Srikanth winning four titles and Praneeth winning his maiden Singapore Open Super Series title and P.V. Sindhu claiming two Super Series titles. The Indonesian coach left at the end of that season.

“I know some people believe so, but he left at the right time and we would never know what would have been his contribution or our performance in his presence in such a hectic schedule," said Praneeth when asked if Mulyo's departure was cause for Indians underperforming after he left.

Praneeth, who won six of the eight matches he played for the champion Bengaluru Raptors in the Premier Badminton League (PBL) says it boosted his confidence ahead of the international season.

“I had 90 per cent winning rate at the PBL, so it was awesome. It boosted my confidence. This time it was more satisfying as I won most matches and pulled off crucial ties for my team,” he said.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment