Seasoned Indian shuttler H.S. Prannoy has been battling a chronic gastrointestinal disorder for the past four months, which has taken a toll on his physical and mental health. Prannoy was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in 2018, a condition that causes heartburn, abdominal and chest pain, and inflammation of the vocal cords.
Despite recovering from GERD and the after-effects of COVID-19, Prannoy has been struggling with the condition again for the past four months. “It’s been bothering me for the last four months. It has taken a toll on me mentally and physically, making it difficult to maintain the physical state I was in the last two years,” Prannoy told PTI.
The 31-year-old played a pivotal role in India’s historic Thomas Cup victory in 2022, followed by a bronze medal at the World Championships and Asian Games, a maiden Super 500 title at the Malaysia Masters, and a runner-up finish at the Australian Open in 2023. However, this season, Prannoy has only managed one semifinal finish at the India Open Super 750 and has faced a series of first-round exits.
Despite his struggles, Prannoy showed signs of improvement at the Asia Badminton Championships in Ningbo, China, where he defeated China’s Lu Guang Zu in a marathon 90-minute opening-round match. “It gives me satisfaction that the things I’m working on are coming good. Those kind of wins give confidence,” he said.
Looking ahead to the Thomas Cup title defense, Prannoy acknowledged the challenges ahead. “It will be tough this year. There are very tough teams with three strong singles and two doubles, like China, Denmark, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and Indonesia,” he said.
India has been drawn into a tough Group C with last year’s runner-up Indonesia, Thailand, and England. “We have Satwik-Chirag, a strong doubles pair, and Lakshya hitting form at the right time. It will give us an extra boost, but a lot of ties will depend on first singles, third singles, and second men’s doubles,” Prannoy said.
Despite the pressure, Prannoy remains optimistic. “From the team perspective, there will be a lot of expectations on my first singles, but overall it will be very tough to defend the title. Each round, even from the group stages, will be tough,” he said.
