H.S. Prannoy, who beat China’s Weng Hong Yang 21-19, 13-21, 21-18 to to win the Malaysia Masters as his maiden BWF World Tour title, said that he would look forward to upcoming tournaments with more confidence.
“It is a great feeling. I think someday it was meant to happen (to win a big title),” Prannoy told Sportstar. “Not just in terms of qualification for next year’s Paris Olympics but also personally, I really needed this one,” he said.
The 30-year-old shuttler who has beaten top players on innumerable occasions but never really won a title said that there were just too many emotions as such because the last six years were too much of a roller-coaster ride for him.
“To be honest, if you had asked me in 2017, I don’t think I would have told you that in 2023 I would be winning a Super 500. I want to thank all the coaches and the support staff. I think we have worked really, really hard and the result is showing,” said Prannoy, who was a member of the victorious Thomas Cup and also the Asia Mixed Team Championship in Dubai recently. “
“It’s too many emotions as such and then you are excited to come out there and play in front of such a big crowd. It was a beautiful crowd out there, so you’re always excited to be there,” the eternal fighter on the badminton court said.
“The draw was really tough for me and had really tough matches as I had to dig really deep. All four matches went to the wire and that shows how patient I was and my fitness was also pretty much decent,” Prannoy said.
He added that the very thought of beating these players was never easy.
“You you just have to dig in deep. The conditions were really slow the entire tournament and all matches were going long and you just had to hang in there and I did that,” he said.
“I believed in my daily routine to be in the right frame - mentally and physically. Always worked really hard. I must say I feel good to play in the circuit even now.
I feel it is a process that has been on for two years now to be at my best at the highest level. That intense desire to get better and better was a huge factor. I don’t look at this title coming a bit too late. For things don’t always happen the way you want them to be. That’s life and in sport too,” he added.
Sanjay Mishra, the general secretary of the BAI (Badminton Association of India) congratulated Prannoy on his victory.
“He (Prannoy) has contributed to many memorable victories in Indian badminton and continuing his fine form into the BWF World Tour title is a matter of great pride for the country and all of us.
I hope and wish he continues his impressive run in the upcoming competitions and brings more laurels to India,” he said.
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