World champion Kunlavut focussed on coping with pressure in Olympic year

New Delhi: Reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn wants to gain as much experience as possible by competing in more tournaments this season, hoping to step out of the hole that he found himself in at the end of last season.

A maiden world championship gold medal in August made him the talk of the town but then came the low as he buckled under the burden of expectations to make a series of early exits to end the season on a disappointing note.

“It was a childhood dream to be a world championship winner, but after I won the title, many players started focusing on me and it put me under pressure,” said the world no. 7 with the help of an interpreter.

The 22-year-old from Thailand will look to defend his title at the India Open Super 750 starting at KD Jadhav Stadium Hall in I G stadium here on Tuesday.

“After the India Open, I will focus on Super 500 tournaments and try to make a comeback. End of last season,

I skipped few tournaments to take rest but I have spoken to my coach to participate more and try to change and adapt my style to return to top performance.”

Accolades followed after Kunlavut became Thailand’s first world badminton champion in men’s singles.

He was only the fourth badminton player from Thailand to win a gold in the world badminton

championship after Ratchanok Intanon who was the 2013 world champion in women’s singles and Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai who claimed the mixed doubles gold in 2021.

“After the World Championships, when I went back to Thailand, everyone welcomed me and I became very famous in Thailand.

I was glad but I always saw the World Championships as just another tournament,” said the 2021 World Championships silver medallist.

“After the world championships, there were many interviews and a lot of attention from the media. I couldn’t practice consistently, so I withdrew from tournaments and took a break.

“But, when I returned, I was not able to deal with the pressure, and it affected my performance.”

Kunlavut, a three-time world junior champion, could make it to just one quarterfinal in the seven tournaments that he participated in after the World Championships in Copenhagen,

Denmark.