Badminton players Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are photographed after winning the men’s doubles gold medal at the Badminton Asia Championships 2023 in Dubai on April 30, 2023. Photo Credit: PTI
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy still couldn’t believe it when he and partner Chirag Shetty created history, becoming the first Indian pair. Won gold in doubles in Asian Championship here on sunday.
The 2022 World Championships bronze medalist pair broke a 58-year-old drought, becoming the first Indian since Dinesh Khanna to become champions at the continental championships.
Satwik and Chirag beat Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yee 16-21, 21-17, 21-19 in the final to register an emphatic win at the continental championships.
“Personally, it will take me a long time to believe that we are the Asian champions,” Satwik said during the press conference.
“I still can’t believe we are Thomas Cup champions. It is our dream to win and raise the flag high for India. Good boost for us as we go into the Olympic qualification period.” Khanna is the only Indian to claim a gold medal, having achieved the feat by defeating Thailand’s Sangob Ratnusorn in the men’s singles final in Lucknow in 1965.
India’s previous best performance in men’s doubles at the Asia Championships was a bronze-medal finish by Dipu Ghosh and Raman Ghosh in 1971.
Satwik and Chirag showed tremendous composure as they never gave up after losing the first game and lost the second and third games 7-13 and 11-15 to clinch India’s first gold in doubles.
“I think today we didn’t play, the crowd played with us. We had a bad start in the first and half of the second game, but we didn’t give up,” he said.
“We kept our nerves, we know how to play these situations. So, we were waiting for a good rhythm and then take our chances. We were calm in the second and third games. It felt like playing in Hyderabad. Stay tuned. The crowd was amazing.” It was the second title of the season for Satwik and Chirag, who remained the best shuttlers for the country on display this season.
Chirag said: “After 13-8 we tried to play a little smarter. The serve was something that worked really well for us, it took them by surprise. We were very calm defending as well. ” Apart from the Asian Championship title, Satwik and Chirag also won five career titles at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the BWF World Tour.