HS Prannoy takes Break from Badminton to Focus on Health and Recovery

Indian badminton player HS Prannoy has decided to withdraw from some of the upcoming tournaments to focus on his health and recovery from chikungunya.

The 32-year-old shuttler was affected by the mosquito-borne viral disease just before the Paris Olympics 2024 and his performance at the prestigious quadrennial event was under-par due to the adverse effects of the disease.

He won both his league matches at the Paris Olympics 2024 but went down to compatriot Lakshya Sen in the round-of-16 to crash out of the quadrennial event.

He beat Fabian Roth of Germany 21-18, 21-12 and clinched a come-from-behind win over Le Duc Phat of Vietnam 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 to top Group K and advance into the pre-quarterfinals.

He, however, lost to Lakshya Sen 21-12, 21-6 to end his Paris Olympics 2024 campaign.

Prannoy took to social media to announce his decision. “Unfortunately, the battle with chikungunya has taken a toll on my body, leaving me with persistent pains that make it impossible to compete at my best,” Prannoy said on X, formerly Twitter.

He added that he arrived at the decision after consideration with his team, including his medical support staff. “After careful consideration with my team, I’ve decided to withdraw from some of the upcoming tournaments to focus on recovery. Thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging time. I’ll be back stronger,” he added.

The Hyderabad-based badminton player did not give any timeline for his recovery or did not provide any clarity on the number of tournaments he has withdrawn from. Most likely, Prannoy will be out of action in the upcoming couple of months.

Prannoy has been an integral part in India’s badminton triumphs at the world level. He was a part of the victorious 2022 Thomas Cup team, playing an important part by winning crunch matches, and also won the bronze medals at the World Championships and Asian Games.

The Kerala-born badminton player has been troubled by injuries over the past few months including a chronic stomach problem and a back injury.