Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the Indian men’s doubles pair, made history by becoming the first Indian pair to win the men’s doubles Asian Championships. The pair fought hard and came from behind to defeat Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia. The match was exciting and intense, with the Indians eventually winning 21-16, 17-21, 19-21.
After the match, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy said that the crowd played a significant role in their victory. He added that the atmosphere felt like they were playing in Hyderabad, India, and the support they received from the fans was amazing.
Chirag Shetty said that after trailing 13-8, they tried to play smarter, and their service game worked well for them. They were also calmer while defending. Satwiksairaj added that winning the Asian Championships was a dream come true for them, and it was a massive boost for them as they headed into the Olympic qualification period.
The victory was significant for the Indian pair as it was their sixth major title in the last 18 months, including the India Open, Thomas Cup, CWG, French Open, Swiss Open, and now the BAC 2023. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy had said in an interview in December 2021 that their aim was to win tournaments and not just play good matches to be in the top five. They seem to be fulfilling their objective with each tournament.
This win was the second comeback victory for the Indian pair this year. The first was against Liu Ou and Xiao Min in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open, where the Indians won from being 21-17, 17-10 down.
The men’s doubles final was an intense match, with both teams giving their best. The Malaysians led in the first two games, but the Indians fought back hard to win the third game and the match. The match had some exciting moments, with Chirag’s booming smashes and Satwik’s amazing defense.
The win was a proud moment for India, and the duo’s performance was outstanding. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s victory is a significant milestone for Indian badminton and will inspire many young players to take up the sport.
