Exclusive | 'This Came Out Of The Blue': HS Prannoy Reacts To Breaking Six-Year Drought With Malaysia Open Win

'The Best Things' Happen When You Least Expect Them,' they say, and HS Prannoy showed just why. Having not won a title for a six years, the 31-year-old shuttler ended the drought in style by winning the Malaysian Open Super 500 tournament.

In the last 20 years, Prannoy is only the fourth Indian to win a Super 500 title alongside Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, and Sai Praneeth. While Srikanth has four titles to his name, Sen and Praneeth have won just one each, showing how rare it is for a male Indian player to emerge victorious in these events.

Having not tasted glory in a men's singles event in six years, no one would have expected a title but victory in a thrilling clash against China's Weng Hong Yang, which he won by a 21-19, 13-21, 21-18. This was also his first victory in a Super 500 or higher event since 2014.

In an exclusive interaction with timesnownews.com, Prannoy opened up about his title triumph and admitted that it was a victory that he was not expecting. However, he did make a point to point out the hard work that went into the victory.

"I didn't expect this title to come at this point. I think it's always great to win titles at any level—not just 500, but at any level. It gives a lot of confidence, but I think winning the Super 500, this came out of the blue. But I would say, there is a lot of hard work that went into this, and I am glad I could go out there and win something big," said Prannoy.

The 30-year-old opened up about how the last few years have brought a mentality shift in him and helped him focus on improving himself more than just results, which consequently assisted him in enjoying his daily work and working on himself.

"I think the last five years, have taught me a lot of things about what to expect and what not to expect from the process. It’s really important to be focused on the process rather than the results. For probably 5–6 years, I was focused too much on the results, and then there is disappointment when you cannot match the expectations.

"That is what I have tried to change in the last few years, where I have kept expectations aside and started to work on the process. The process is on a daily basis about how better you can become. Then you can enjoy the process a little bit more when you are not keeping expectations around the results. You are just trying to build on what you are. That gives you a lot of space to work on what you are," Prannoy explains.

The Malaysian Open champion does not forget to explain the important role played by his coaches and points out how working with Pullela Gopichand from last year again has helped him gain confidence in his game. He also talks about the push that his family has given him to be patient while waiting for success.

"I think, as a sportsperson, just not one single factor that affects performance. Gopi Bhaiya (Pullela Gopichand) has been there for me for the last decade for me. After a small break, we started to work again in the first half of 2022. That's where I also gained confidence in my game. Now, Guru (RMV Gurusaidutt) has also joined the team in the last few months. Now I have a team of coaches who know me and my body very well. The training is adopted in such a way where I am always in a zone where I am taking care of my body personally.

"And obviously, my parents and wife have always been very supportive of my decision, especially mom. There has been a constant push from every side to be at it and be patient, and the results will show up," Prannoy elaborates while explaining how people around him have been crucial to his success.

With the World Championships in August, the Asian Games in September, and the Road to Paris 2024 already started, Prannoy warns that the first priority in such a hectic season is to ensure he remains injury-free and makes careful choices in what tournaments he plays.

"I think it is a very hectic season. We have a lot of tournaments before the World Championships and Asian Games as our Olympic qualification has already started. The focus is to take care of the body and be injury-free. I have to be really smart in planning what tournaments to play, and that's the only thing I am looking forward to," said Prannoy.

However, he does not hide his ambition to win a medal for the country at the Asian Games. The star Indian shuttler does mention the Olympics as a key target going into next year, with his immediate aim being to secure qualification.

"But I think after the last week, a lot of pressure has been eased. However, there will be more pressure to go and perform every week. I think that is a good expectation that people want you to win, and that's an added responsibility.

"Yes, the Asian Games are very important, where I want to perform really well and get a medal for the country. The Olympics is there on the much larger picture, getting into the next year, and the first huddle is to qualify and then definitely get a medal," Prannoy explains.

Prannoy is a torchbearer of what can be described as one of the strongest generations of Indian men's badminton there has been. The success at last year's Laver Cup was proof of the same, and Prannoy pointed out that the sport has been on the rise in the country for the last 10 years.

"I think Indian badminton has been on the rise for 10 years. We have been continuously doing well. First Saina, then Sidhu, and then there has been a flurry of results from me, Srikanth, and other players on the circuit. Recently, I think Lakshya has also started to play really well.

"Our sport has always been on the rise. I hope that in the coming one year, we will have a lot of tournaments to play in, and hopefully, we all can perform well. It is a tight schedule, as we are playing day in and day out against the world’s best. It will be tough, but I hope we can perform at a high level," said Prannoy.

'The Road Is Not Easy'

While trophies earn you the limelight, the reality of top-level sports remains that more often than not, people will go through phases where success eludes them. Coming out of his own drought, Prannoy advises youngsters and fellow professionals seeking glory to always be persistent and trust in their process.

"The road is not easy. Nothing is going to be permanent, you will have your own share of success, but it will surely be followed by something that is low. That's where the champions emerge from dealing with the low phase of life. That's what sports teaches you," said Prannoy when asked for an advice he will give others going through a similar phase.

"That's where a lot of people drift away from the sport because they cannot deal with the low. The only suggestion I will give is to be at it, to be persistent. It is a journey that will have a lot of ups and downs. If you are trusting in your process, success will eventually come," Prannoy concluded.