Star India shuttler HS Prannoy has set his sight on the season-ending World Tour Finals but said he will have to hone h𝔉is skills to ensure th♓at he doesn't falter at the semifinals stage in the remaining tournaments.
One of the most consi🌱stent players in the international circuit this season, Prannoy has consistently reac🌞hed the quarters and semifinals this season but a title has still eluded him.
The 30-𝓀year-old fro❀m Kerala recently replaced Tokyo Olympic champion, Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at the top of the latest men's singles HSBC Race To Guangzhou rankings.
He is leading with 58,090 points, having participated in 13 tournaments on the BWF World Tour this year. Players in the top 8 qualify for the year-ending World Tour Finals scheduled to be held from𒈔 Decem🌳ber 14 to 18 in Guangzhou.
"My focus would be the World Tour Finals. There are🦹 quite a few tournaments before that. I hope to produce winning results in those," Prannoy s🤪aid after guiding Kerala to a 3-1 win over Assam in the mixed team quarterfinals of the National Games here.
"I have to be consistent. I would like ▨to get into a good rhythm before the World Tour Finals. I'm ha🐽ppy with my results over the last year and I need to be consistent."
A former world number 8, Prannoy had slipped out of the top 20 after enduring a tough phase pl🃏agued with♍ health issues and a slump in form.
However, Prannoy has regained his place in the top 15 in the la༒test rankings and said his aim remains ﷽to get back into the elite 10.
"I would like to get into the top 10 and prefe🍌rably top🔴 five as I would get a better draw. I also need to work on my game so that I should go beyond the semifinals. That is my priority now."
On Saturday, Prannoy⛎, returning to court after a month's break, didn't break any sweat as he saw off Orijit Chaliha 21-11 21-9 in a lop-sided contest.
"I🦹 last played in the first week of September in Japan Open. It was a long break for me after some ꦛgood victories this year," Prannoy said.
"I was not moving as well as I wanted to, but I have got back to trainiﷺng. And, playing a match after a long time is always tough. But going deeper into the tournament, I will be getting tougher matches."
Prannoy has been in good form since helping India win their maiden Thomas 𝄹Cup title in May this year. His best came when he made it to the final of the Swiss Open, a BWF Super 300 event.
He also had two semifinal appearances in the M🌳alaysia Masters and Indonesia Open🐽.
