“When it comes to bigger events, I think it should be done in a different way” - HS Prannoy on the packed BWF calendar

India now has two confirmed spots in the men’s singles category for the Paris Olympics. In addition to Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, India’s leading men’s singles shuttler, is gearing up for the Paris Olympics.

The World No. 7 has had a phenomenal last few years, winning the Thomas Cup, a medal at the Asian Games, the World Championships, and several other top BWF tournaments.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Prannoy opened up about his journey, his recent successes, and also gave his opinion on the packed BWF calendar.

Reflecting on the abundance of tournaments on the badminton calendar, Prannoy acknowledged the opportunities they offer players. However, he emphasized the need for a few changes, suggesting that the number of bigger events should be reduced and prize money increased, which would elevate the game's stature.

“It's tough, I think, obviously, in one way. When you look at it, yes, it's a good thing that there are a lot of tournaments and there are a lot of opportunities for players to kind of go out there and play, but I think when you look at it, but I think when it comes to bigger events, I think it should be done in a little different way where the prize money is much bigger and there are lesser events in the entire calendar so that I think the value of the game also kind of goes up in a big way.”

HS Pronnoy also added that by reducing the number of tournaments, players could potentially avoid injuries and maintain peak performance throughout the season.

“And I think the top players can be injury-free their entire season also.”

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"A lot of things went well for me personally" - HS Prannoy on his performances at the Thomas Cup, Asian Games, and World Championships

HS Prannoy's recent successes, including triumphs at the Thomas Cup and podium finishes at major championships, have been pivotal moments in his career.

He attributes his achievements to diligent preparation and mental fortitude, highlighting the importance of mental strength in high-pressure situations. Despite unexpected challenges, Prannoy's ability to adapt and excel on the big stage has been commendable.

“I think it's been a few of those big big events where a lot of things went well for me personally, and I think right starting from the Thomas Cup and kind of until the Asian Games, I think there's a lot of things which we didn't expect to happen for me individually."

He went on to add:

"I would say, but a lot of learnings from, especially the Thomas Cup and then getting into world championships. I would say it was really one of those moments in my career where I didn't expect things to kind of fall in place and kind of fall at the right time and right matches. I think a lot of work which we had done in the past, say, a lot of the mental games, I think, those things kind of worked eventually well for me on those kinds of bigger events."

"I would say really happy that I'm that I'm part of these kinds of bigger events and still able to be on that podium, and so obviously I would be trying to get better on the results. Yes, you really want to go the full distance every time, but sometimes when you look back and feel that you know even bronze is something which is very, very big for me," he added.

When asked about his motivation after years of competing at the highest level, Prannoy credits his relentless pursuit of self-improvement.

Unlike earlier stages of his career focused on outperforming rivals, Prannoy now prioritizes personal growth and development. Over the past few years, he has dedicated himself to refining his skills and maintaining peak mental fitness, yielding significant results on the court.

“I think it's the urge to get better personally. Whatever you do, probably that kind of journey I think started off just four to five years back where you are kind of trying to get a better ingredient. Before, that was just constant comparison with your fellow mates, and you're just trying to beat them, but to kind of improve on yourself. I think I started working very recently, probably four or five years back and I think that kind of shows the results also in the last few years."

He concluded by saying:

“I've been in a very good space mentally, and even though there have been tournaments where I didn't have too many successes, I was still able to get back training and come back with a better result in the other tournaments, so I think that's what I've been able to do in the past two years.”