Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to achieve this feat
India’s top ranked men’s singles player HS Prannoy stormed into the quarter-finals of the BWF World Championships 2023 by defeating 2021 World Champion Loh Kean Yew in three games. By the virtue of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2023 edition, HS Prannoy became the second Indian male player after Prakash Padukone (1880, 1983, and 1985) to reach three consecutive quarter-finals.
After an injury ridden career, HS Prannoy came back into the reckoning at the end of 2021 and was one of the last entrants at the BWF World Championships 2021. In the quarter-finals he was defeated by Loh Kean Yew, who ultimately went on to win the title by defeating former WR-1 Kidambi Srikanth. Prannoy took his revenge at the current edition in a closely-fought contest with the match lasting for over 70 minutes.
In the 2021 edition, three Indian male shuttlers reached the quarter-finals. In the following year, HSP once again couldn’t cross the quarter-finals barrier this time losing to Chinese Zhao Jupeng.
The 2023 season has by far been Prannoy’s most successful year, with him winning his first BWF Tour title – Malaysia Masters (BWF 500) and reaching the final of Australian Open (BWF 500). After back-to-back quarters losses, the Keralite will be up against mighty WR-1 Viktor Axelsen at the BWF World Championships 2023.