Star Indian shuttler HS Prannoy was tad upset to overlook out on a World championships gold medal however stated the bronze meant so much to him, calling it because the “first beginning step” on approach to the coveted title. Prannoy’s dream run on the World Championships ended after he misplaced 21-18 13-21 14-21 to world quantity 3 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand within the males’s singles semifinal to log off with a bronze medal. The win prolonged India’s report of getting not less than one medallist within the showpiece since 2011.

“For me, this bronze medal means a lot personally as a result of it has been virtually 12 years within the circuit, you at all times need to have these massive medals in your hand,” he stated after the match.

“Sure, you might be upset for not getting the gold however the first beginning step is with bronze.” The 31-year-old from Kerala thanked the teaching workers and his household for backing him.

“Lots of people has carried out lots of onerous work in the previous couple of years and lots of issues got here in place this week. Due to all of them who’ve been working day and night time with me in order that I can play higher and my complete household backing me from residence,” he stated.

“It’s not straightforward since you are within the circuit the whole yr and hardly get time for household and buddy, typically it takes a load.

“So these type of candy recollections are at all times good, you might be really feel motivated to return and work, in any other case it’s actually powerful to do the entire thing.” The 31-year-old Prannoy squandered a gap sport benefit and a 5-1 lead within the second as Vitidsarn, a three-time former world junior champion, displayed his psychological fortitude and strong defence to seal a second successive closing spot.

Prannoy was coming into the match after enjoying two three-game matches which lasted near 70 minutes and he admitted it took a toll on his physique.

“If you find yourself on the court docket you’re feeling you will have carried out every part however while you end off, you’re feeling you might have carried out extra. Bodily I could not push by means of at present, the legs weren’t in nice form,” the world quantity 9 stated.

India’s top-ranked males’s singles shuttler made a strong begin however indicators of exhaustion set in from the second sport.

“I used to be making an attempt onerous from inside, not letting go simply however credit score to him he was placing in shuttle constantly at a superb pace and never making any straightforward errors at any level,” he stated.

“On the third sport, I misplaced that first half, it was essential. You may’t be down 5-1. I’ve to actually respect how my physique taking such matches, it’s not straightforward to play 70 minutes again to again for 4 days.

“He’s a lot youthful, he is ready to get well a lot quicker. However I’m actually proud of the way in which issues went this week.” However the loss, it was a superb achievement for Prannoy as he turned solely the fifth Indian males’s singles participant to win a World Championships medal.

Kidambi Srikanth (silver), Lakshya Sen (bronze), B Sai Praneeth (bronze) and Prakash Padukone (bronze) are the opposite medallists in males’s singles. PTI ATK PDS PDS

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