HS Prannoy climbs to world no. 16 in latest BWF rankings

NEW DELHI: After a string of impressive performances on tour, India’s star shuttler HS Prannoy climbed two places to reach the world number 16 in the latest BWF World Ranking release on Tuesday.

Prannoy, who reached back-to-back quarterfinals at the World Championships and Japan Open Super 750, now has 64,330 points after participating in 33 tournaments.

The 30-year-old Indian had recently become the top player in men’s singles in the ‘Race to Guangzhou’, which decides the qualifiers for the season-ending BWF World Tour Final.

Fellow Indian Kidambi Srikanth also jumped two places to sit at the 12th spot, while Lakshya Sen continued to be the best-placed Indian male shuttler at world number 9.

PV Sindhu, who had skipped the world championships and Japan Open due to an injury, also gained a position to climb to the seventh spot.

London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal regained her place inside the top 30 after improving three spots.

In men’s doubles, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, who claimed their maiden gold at Commonwealth Games and a first-ever bronze at World Championships, continued to remain static at world No. 8.

Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy slipped a rung to be 28th in women’s doubles.

Mixed doubles pairing of Tanisha Crasto and Ishaan Bhatnagar achieved a career-best 33rd ranking after climbing two spots.