HS Prannoy to miss Arctic Open, French Open in October due to injury

Prannoy was last in action at the BWF Korea Open on September 24.

Indian shuttler HS Prannoy will miss tournaments in October due to an oblique injury. He sustained a blow during the Korea Open, which took place from September 23 to 28 in Seoul.

Prannoy retired midway in the Round of 32 fixture against Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo, when the Indonesian was leading by 16-8 in the first game. Prannoy, World No. 34, pulled out of the game after showing visible discomfort.

In his latest post on X (formerly Twitter), Prannoy confirmed that he will not participate in the European leg of the 2025 BWF World Tour. Notably, the Arctic Open in Finland, the Denmark Open, the French Open, and the HYLO Open in Germany are lined up this month. He wrote:

“Tough few days post the oblique injury which happened last week in Korea open. After doctors opinion, I have decided to skip the next set of tournaments in Oct. That means I would be missing the entire Europe leg once again 😏🤦🏻😭#not aging like fine wine🤣”

It is worth noting that Prannoy took an indefinite break after the Paris Olympics due to chikungunya. He was diagnosed with a mosquito-borne disease ahead of the event but recovered in time for his Olympic debut. Although he made it to the Round of 16, he was defeated by Lakshya Sen in straight sets.

Moreover, he also battled a stomach disorder and a back injury in 2024. To recover fully from all setbacks, he decided to skip the Japan Open and Korea Open that year.

Also Read: HS Prannoy’s career in numbers: Records, stats, and titles

HS Prannoy advises Indian athletes competing in the BWF World Junior Championships

Prannoy had some advice for the 25-member Indian contingent ahead of the BWF World Junior Championships. The tournament will take place in Guwahati, Assam, from October 6 to 19, and it marks 17 years since the country last hosted the BWF Junior Worlds tournament.

Notably, Prannoy clinched a bronze medal at the 2010 edition of the Junior Worlds after getting defeated by South Korea’s Kang Ji-wook in the semi-finals.

Also Read: ‘This is the first stepping stone’ – HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen wish Indian contingent ahead of BWF World Junior Championships 2025

In a press release, the 33-year-old opined that the tournament is a stepping stone for the youngsters to prepare them for the senior level.

“It’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent India at the World Juniors. It’s an opportunity for the juniors to play against the best in the world; this is the first stepping stone. From here you know what to expect in the next couple of years, because next you’re getting into the senior level.”

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