PENTY Toby

General
CONFIDENCE DIP IN 2019
Speaking in November 2019 he said that it had been a difficult year and that he planned to take a short break from tournaments in order to ensure he began 2020 feeling refreshed. "I hope a break will bring a lot to me. I just feel the main thing for me is self-confidence right now [November 2019]. I feel I have had a little dip of confidence. The last year [2019] has been tough. That has been the hardest thing, the mental battle. I would not say the physical battle. I am in better shape, than I have been for a long time. I think it is more the mental side of my game and finding my self-confidence again on and off court. The two are intertwined and I think that will be the big thing for me. 2020 will bring a fresh start and a bit of new energy which is something I really need right now." (Badminton Europe Youtube page, 23 Nov 2019; badmintonpeople.com, 29 Nov 2019)

NEW NUMBER ONE
In August 2019 he became the English and Great Britain number one-ranked men's singles player after the retirement of his close friend and training partner, Rajiv Ouseph. "Obviously Raj has been on top for a long time. We both help each other, and I like to think that also played a part in his development, and he obviously played a big part in mine. I have been playing understudy for a while but it has been a good learning experience. I have had enough trials and tribulations in my career to know that things can easily go different ways. I do not take anything for granted, and I just want to keep improving. I was a late bloomer in the juniors, and I am kind of going through the same in seniors. I have pretty much gone through everything you can so far, and I really think that it is helping to build my game moving forward. Tokyo [2020 Olympics] is a big aim but also after the Olympics the BWF World Tour is an aim." (badmintoneurope.com, 13 Aug 2019; badmintoneurope.com, 09 Jul 2018)

PHYSICAL CONDITION
In late 2018 he began losing his hair due to an autoimmune disorder named alopecia areata, which initially affected his confidence. "It has caused quite a lot of anxiety and self-confidence issues. It was hard for me to prepare for a match after coming out of the shower with handfuls of hair falling out." He said he was ultimately able to find solace in his sport and in training. "On court, I feel like myself. Everywhere else, I felt uncomfortable and low in myself most of the time. I had good experiences at the Sudirman Cup [2019] being my first big tournament back since my 'new look'. I overcame some big mental barriers which I'm proud of. I think it will only make me a stronger person and player in the years to come." (bbc.co.uk, 19 May 2020; bwfbadminton.com, 21 Jun 2019; badmintoneurope.com, 12 Jun 2019)