Ace Indian men’s singles star HS Prannoy has taken an indefinite break from badminton, the shuttler revealed on Monday.

Prannoy, who had contracted Chikungunya ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, was knocked out in the pre-quarterfinals of the quadrennial event by compatriot Lakshya Sen earlier this month.

“Unfortunately, the battle with Chikungunya has taken a toll on my body, leaving me with persistent pains that make it impossible to compete at my best,” said Prannoy in a social media post. “After careful consideration with my team, I've decided to withdraw from some of the upcoming tournaments to focus on recovery.

“Thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging time. I’ll be back stronger,” he added.

The 32-year-old Prannoy has been India’s best shuttler in men’s singles over the last Olympic cycle. He was a vital cog in the wheel for the Indian Thomas Cup winning team in 2022 and also went on to win a bronze medal each at the 2023 World Badminton Championships and the 2022 Asian Games in men’s singles.

Prannoy also climbed to a career best world No 6 rank in September 2023 and was seeded 13th at the Paris Games, where he advanced to the knockouts stages following two comfortable wins in group stages at the La Chapelle Arena.