Prannoy: 'Bronze in Asia Championship a morale-booster'

H. S. Prannoy ended the 2018 Badminton Asia Championship with a bronze medal.

H. S. Prannoy lost his semifinal match against Chen Long in the Asia Championship.

For World No. 10, H.S. Prannoy, the bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championship in Wuhan means a lot.

“It is a big, big medal for me. I wanted one badly. I have had some big wins over leading players in the last few months, but somehow failed to produce the desired finishing touches,” said the 25-year-old in a chat with  Sportstar  on Sunday.

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“The bronze medal (he is the second Indian to win a medal in the continental championship after Anup Sridhar’s bronze in 2007) is a huge morale-booster and I look forward to script some major success stories,” he said.

“This was a very competitive event with a very tough draw. I am glad with the way I played and notched up some important wins,” said Prannoy, looking back.

Correcting avoidable errors

“Against Chen Long, I committed quite a few errors while trying to finish off my strokes. I need to address these to be a much more consistent performer,” he said.

Prannoy doesn’t believe that he lacks the killer-instinct to win major titles. “It happens in any sport. On some days you play at your best and still end up a loser as that slice of luck deserts you in crunch situations,” he reasoned.

“I agree it doesn’t matter whether you frequently make it to the quarters or semis of any event. Eventually winning titles is what counts,” he said.

Work on body condition

“One of the areas which I am going to focus clearly more is to work on my body condition. There was some inconsistency in getting used to circumstances and not reacting the way I would have loved to in a given situation. I need to master the art of winning crucial games better.

“Definitely, will have a serious rethink on rushing to play too many events for the sake of rankings. Gopi sir (Pullela Gopichand) is taking care of this crucial aspect now,” said Prannoy. “There are no specific targets but I want to improve with each tournament," he added.

“I must say the understanding amongst the players has changed a lot for the good now towards the demands and challenges of the sport. There is a great atmosphere both when we train and compete in the big events," Prannoy said.