HS Prannoy, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand pull out of Badminton Asia Championships

By PTI

MANILA: India’s HS Prannoy has pulled out of the Badminton Asia Championships beginning here on Tuesday due to a “small injury” that he sustained during his final finish at the Swiss Open in March.

Prannoy, who was handed a direct entry to the Asian Games and Thomas Cup due to his good show in the last few international events, is looking to return to action at the Thomas Cup starting in Bangkok, Thailand on May 8.

“Had to withdraw from Asian Badminton Championships this week because of a small injury which happened in Swiss Open!,” Prannoy, who has a bronze medal from the 2018 Wuhan edition, wrote on his twitter handle.

“I think the best decision was to focus on training and focus on next set of events! Can’t wait to join the rest of the squad for Thomas cup Finals,” he added.

A former top 10 player, Prannoy had been battling a gastroesophageal reflux disease (a digestive ailment in which stomach acid or bile irritates the food pipe lining) and after affects of COVID-19 to see his performance slip and ranking drop at the world stage.

However, Prannoy showed signs of returning to form when he finished at the quarterfinal stage at the World Championships last year, before signing off at the last eight stage at the India Open Super 500, Syed Modi Super 300 and German Open Super 300.

At the Swiss Open, he had reached the finals before losing to Indonesian Jonatan Christie.

Young women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who emerged as winners at the selection trials to make it to the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Uber Cup, also pulled out of the tournament due to an injury suffered by the latter.