“I’m not just representing myself”, says HS Prannoy after securing maiden World C’ships medal

World No. 9 Prannoy beat the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and 2022 world champion Axelsen 13-21, 21-15, 21-16 in the quarter-final match at the Royal Arena  in Copenhagen, Denmark.

It was HS Prannoy’s third win over the Danish shuttler in 10 meetings. Heading into Friday’s encounter, the Indian came out second best in both meetings against Axelsen this year — first in the Indonesia Open semi-finals and then in the quarters of the Japan Open.

Notably, reaching the final four ensures a medal for Prannoy at the global meet as both losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze medals at the badminton world championships. Overall, this will be India’s 14th medal at the BWF World Championships.

“In this moment, I’m not just representing myself; I’m representing every single person who believed in me. Never underestimate the power of perseverance. The journey continues,” said Prannoy in a tweet on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Prannoy will play Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn next for a place in the final.

He is India’s only challenge remaining at the ongoing BWF World Badminton Championships 2023 after the ouster of men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.

Satwik and Chirag, the world No. 2 men’s doubles pair suffered a 21-18, 21-19 defeat at the hands of Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in their last eight encounter.