Prannoy focusing on process improvement for consistency in performance in 2023
After becoming the top Indian player in the world rankings, HS Prannoy wants to bring more consistency in his performances so that he gets more chances to win international titles. Prannoy had a stellar 2022 and regained a career-best ranking of eighth after slipping to No. 34 in 2019. Prannoy, who battled gastroesophageal reflux disease in 2018 and COVID-19 in 2020, played a key role in India’s triumph at the Thomas Cup in May and finished runner-up at the Swiss Open Super 300, Indonesia Open Super 1000 and Reached the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters Super 500.
Prannoy said on Twitter on Tuesday, “The challenges at the beginning of 2022 were different than now. There was no expectation then but after a year fans and coaches are expecting to win big tournaments. Personally I have always kept the target very low. “He said,” The important thing for me will be to focus on the process. How I can recover for the next season, that’s what I am focusing on right now. Prannoy qualified for the end-season World Tour Finals for the first time in his career after a good run at the World Tour events.
He could not make it to the knockouts but registered a win over world number one Viktor Axelsen. “Winning against Axelsen is a good confidence booster. I didn’t get enough match practice before going to the World Tour Finals. I could feel that pressure but I was getting better and I was able to win points in those tough conditions against Victor. Prannoy said, “Overall it was a good tournament. And it was nice to beat Axelsen to end 2022.It is important to improve the consistency and get into the semi-finals and finals and then such victories are sweeter.
The new season will also see the start of the Olympic qualification period from May and Prannoy said picking the right events will be important and he will look to give it all in the second half. He said, “It is difficult to show the top game at the right time. You can probably show the top game for the Olympics because there you have enough time to prepare. But reaching the top level for any one competition is not easy. “I will just pick the right tournament and take two to three weeks to train because whenever I train well, I am able to deliver results. Prannoy got off to a positive start in the Malaysia Open Super 1000 with a 22-24, 21-12, 21-18 win over No. 10 compatriot Lakshya Sen on Wednesday.
