Prannoy regains career-best world no. 8 rankings

PTI, Dec 27, 2022, 12:43 PM IST

Image credit: PTI / File

New Delhi: Star Indian shuttler HS Prannoy regained his career-best number eight position in the latest BWF world rankings issued on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old from Kerala, who has been in good form this year, had achieved the number eight ranking in 2018 for the first time before slipping to 34 in 2019.

However, some memorable performances in the season, including the Thomas Cup win, seven quarterfinals, two semifinals and a runner-up finish at the Swiss Open, saw him rise like a phoenix in 2022.

He couldn’t win an individual title but played a pivotal role in the Indian team’s historic Thomas Cup win in Bangkok.

His consistency earned him a place in the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals and a nomination for the BWF Player of the year award.

Among others, Lakshya Sen remained static at world number seven, while Kidambi Srikanth lost a place to be at the 12th position.

Out of action since her Commonwealth Games triumph, double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu slipped a place to world number seven in women’s singles, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were steady at number five.

The fast-rising pairing of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila gained three places to be world number 21, while women’s doubles combination of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, which had won a bronze in Birmingham CWG, climbed a place to world number 17.

In mixed doubles, Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto also moved two places to achieve the 18th spot.