HS Prannoy calls for better scheduling in Major Tournaments

HS Prannoy, one of India’s leading badminton players, has recently voiced his concerns over the scheduling of major tournaments. He believes that the current scheduling practices can sometimes be “cruel to the players” and has called for improvements.

HS Prannoy’s scheduling challenges at the Badminton Asia Championships

Prannoy’s concerns stem from his experience at the Badminton Asia Championships, where he had to play gruelling back-to-back matches with inadequate rest. After a marathon match against Lu Guang Zu that lasted over 90 minutes, Prannoy was back on the court in less than half a day. The lack of rest took a toll on his performance, and he lost his round of 16 match against Chun Yi Lin of Chinese Taipei.

“I think the scheduling is sometimes cruel to the players because I remember in BAC by the time I slept at 3 am. It is tough to sleep more than five or six hours and then you try to gain your energy back and recover from the grind,” said Prannoy to The Bridge.

Prannoy highlighted the importance of recovery for an athlete’s fitness and stated that inadequate sleep disrupts the recovery rhythm. He pointed out that the current scheduling does not allow players enough time to recover from physically demanding matches.

“Recovery is an important aspect of any athlete’s fitness and once you have inadequate sleep, the recovery won’t have the same rhythm,” Prannoy added further.

The Indian shuttler also emphasized the need for strategic rest periods between matches. He plans to participate in only 5-7 tournaments leading up to the Paris Olympics 2024, focusing more on preparation and maintaining his health.

Prannoy believes that players should be ready to play 90-minute matches day in and day out in big tournaments like the World Championships or the Olympics. However, he also stressed the importance of managing the load correctly and respecting the body’s need for recovery.

“But when you play in big tournaments like World Championships or Olympics, it is a high possibility that you should be ready to grind those 90 minutes matches day in and day out. So it’s very important to kind of build that kind of body that will be the key,” he added further.

Despite the challenges posed by the current scheduling, Prannoy remains focused on what he can control. He is determined to work harder than others to ensure proper recovery and is keen on preparing his body for the exertion of big tournaments.

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