You could sense the frustration. And so, you could excuse the cool-headed HS Prannoy for yelling. That's what dropping a game can do to someone aiming for perfection in his trade. That said, the 22-year-old top seed registered a 21-16 19-21 21-13 victory over No. 8 seed Subhanker Dey to move into the semifinals of the Tata Open badminton tournament at the Cricket Club of India here on Friday.
According to Prannoy, it's games like these that "bring out the best" in him. "I wasn't feeling 100 per cent. I felt very sluggish. I needed someone to push me. Every now and then, I get a match where I know victory would put me in the semifinals or finals. You saw that here too," he said, wiping the sweat of his brow.
Ever since he won the Indonesian Masters Grand Prix Gold tournament in September, the maiden title of his career, Prannoy has improved by leaps and bounds. "That defeat in the final of the Yonex Sunrise Vietnam GP Open boosted my confidence," he said. In other words, had he not learned from those mistakes, he wouldn't have crossed the final hurdle in Indonesia.
"After Indonesia, the whole scenario changed. I realised I had to play more tournaments. And I know I want to stay in the top 25 this year. That way, I can play the All England Championships and other top tournaments next year," said the World No. 22, who has been training at the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad since 2011.
The win in Palembang meant a lot to Prannoy. Having been hit by injuries in the past, winning the title helped him silence all doubters. "I knew I had the capability to beat top players, but I was just not winning tournaments. I knew I had to win some way or the other. People would say Prannoy has been around for three-four years now, but he is isn't utilising his potential to the fullest. That perception has now changed. And I believe that I can go even higher."
Having lost in the final of the Tata Open last year, Prannoy wants to go one better this year. On Saturday, he will meet Ajay Jayaram. Prannoy leads the head-to-head 2-1. RMV Gurusaidutt will take on Akshit Mahajan in the other semifinal.
Results: Men's Singles (QF): HS Prannoy bt S Dey 21-16 19-21 21-13, A Jayaram bt B Sai Praneeth 21-19 21-15, A Mahajan bt S Varma 21-17 13-21 21-19, RMV Gurusaidutt bt Chetan Anand (IND) w/o
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