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Tag: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy

  • Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty rise to career-high No. 5, HS Prannoy again to high 10 in badminton world rankings

    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty rose to No. 5 within the BWF Rankings for males’s doubles gamers whereas HS Prannoy was rewarded for his constant performances, shifting to No. 9 within the males’s singles charts.

    New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 20, 2022 19:13 IST

    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty gained 2 titles on the tour in 2022 (AP/PTI Photo)

    By India Today Web Desk: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty rose to a career-high No. 5 within the BWF World Rankings, up to date on Tuesday, December 20. The Indian males’s doubles pair was rewarded for constant performances within the 2022 season.

    Satwik and Chirag gained titles on the India Open Super 500 and French Open Super 750. The younger pair had a breakthrough yr by way of main tournaments, a yr after agonizingly lacking out on a knockout berth on the Tokyo Olympics. Satwik and Chirag had been a part of the Thomas Cup successful group whereas in addition they gained the Commonwealth Games gold and a bronze within the World Championships.

    Their unprecedented success is mirrored within the rating because the duo jumped two locations to the highest 5 with 75,806 score factors from 15 tournaments.

    PRANNOY RETURNS TO TOP 10

    Meanwhile, HS Prannoy returned to the highest 10, shifting to No. 9. Prannoy had began the yr at No. 26 however with constant performances, the 30-year-old established himself as a high performer on the tour in males’s singles.

    Prannoy defeated Viktor Axelsen in an in any other case forgettable World Tour Finals marketing campaign earlier in December.

    Prannoy didn’t win a title in 2022 however he has gained 31 out of the 46 matches contested this yr. Prannoy reached the ultimate of Prannoy reached the ultimate of Swiss Open and made it to the semi-final of the Indonesia Open and Malaysia Masters. He additionally reached the quarter-finals of BWF World Championships, shedding to China’s Zhao Jun Peng.

    Prannoy was additionally an integral a part of India’s Thomas Cup-winning group.

    Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen continued to be the best-placed Indian at quantity seven whereas former world no. 1 Kidambi Srikanth gained a rung to the eleventh place.

    Double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu continued to carry on to the quantity six place in ladies’s singles whereas the ladies’s doubles mixture of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, who had gained a bronze in Birmingham, climbed two locations to world quantity 18.

    In blended doubles, Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto additionally jumped three locations to achieve the twenty first spot. (With inputs from PTI)

    Published On:

    Dec 20, 2022

  • Bigger targets and titled forward: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy posts on Instagram after French Open win

    India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lifted the French Open title on Sunday, 30 October. Rankireddy posted a message on Instagram after his stellar victory.

    UPDATED: Oct 31, 2022 23:49 IST

    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty submit after win. (Courtesy: Instagram/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy)

    By India Today Web Desk: Indian males’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty surprised the badminton world with their stellar marketing campaign on the French Open 750 match. Ousting the top-seeded pairing of their run-up to the finals, Satwik-Chirag dominated the opposition groups to win their first ever French Open title collectively. The duo continued their rise in 2022 since profitable gold within the Commonwealth Games 2022.

    “Stuff of dreams,” stated star Indian shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy after he and Chirag Shetty turned the primary Indian pair to win the French Open Super 750 title.

    The world quantity 8 pair on Sunday notched up their largest title after they beat Chinese Taipei’s Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han within the males’s doubles ultimate of the French Open.

    “Last night you’ve given me the biggest win on the tour – I’m thrilled beyond words and humbled beyond compare! Becoming the first Indian pair in almost 40 years to win a Super 750 Title is definitely the stuff of dreams!,” Satwik wrote on his Instagram web page.

    “But not a moment longer to rest on our laurels, bigger goals & bigger titles are ahead – upwards & onwards to achieve them!!”

    The Indian duo has been on a dream run this season, profitable the India Open Super 500 crown, the Commonwealth Games gold, Thomas Cup gold and a bronze at World Championships.

    It was their second world tour title.

    Vikram Singh and Partho Ganguli had claimed the French Open title in 1983 when it was a minor match.

    “We didn’t know it had been that long,” Satwik stated after his match on Sunday.

    “We feel great, we worked hard for this. It’s been a dream tournament.”

    The 22-year-old from Amalapuram stated Kidambi Srikanth’s triumph on the French Open in 2017 impressed him.

    “I liked the pyrotechnics in the background and wanted the same profile picture on my phone. I don’t have a laptop, maybe I’ll buy one now,” he stated.

    The Indian mixture will probably be seen in motion this week on the Hylo Open Super 300 match.

    Edited By:

    Kingshuk Kusari

    Published On:

    Oct 31, 2022

  • Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty win French Open males’s doubles title

    The world quantity eight pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated twenty fifth ranked Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han of Chinese Taipei 21-13, 21-19 within the last of the lads’s doubles occasion on the French Open.

    Paris ,UPDATED: Oct 31, 2022 06:49 IST

    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty pose with French Open trophy. (Credits: BAI)

    By India Today Web Desk: Star Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched the French Open Super 750 title with a straight-game victory over Chinese Taipei’s Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han within the males’s doubles last on Sunday.

    The world quantity eight pair outwit the twenty fifth ranked Lu and Yang 21-13, 21-19 within the last that lasted 48 minutes.
    Satwik and Chirag, who have been the runners-up within the 2019 version, continued their dream run this 12 months, having gained the Indian Open tremendous 500, Commonwealth Games gold, Thomas Cup and World Championships bronze.

    For the Indian duo, the French Open marks their third world tour title after the 2019 Thailand Open and the 2022 Indian Open. Satwik and Chirag have additionally grow to be the primary Indian pair to win a Super 750 match.

    The Indian pair showcased their tactical acumen and want to realize greatness in opposition to Lu and Yang within the last. Satwik and Chirag took an early lead of 5-0 and saved on shifting by not giving any room to their opposition. At the mid-break, the Indians had a six-point cushion.

    Satwik and Chirag dominated the fast-paced rallies and clinched seven sport factors earlier than Chirag sealed the primary sport on the primary probability.

    In the second sport, the Taipei duo seemed aggressive, however it was as soon as once more Satwik and Chirag who earned a six-point lead on the interval. Lu and Yang narrowed the distinction to 10-12 as they began to get the momentum.

    However, the Indians clawed again in time at 19-19 after getting fortunate with web chord. As the Indians moved to take one match level, Satwik sealed the take care of an attacking return.

    Published On:

    Oct 31, 2022

  • Satwik-Chirag add one other feather in cap with French Open badminton title

    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty performed a flat, fast-paced scorcher to win the French Open Super 750 beating Lu Ching Yao/Yang Po Han of Chinese Taipei, their greatest Tour title but. A 12 months that began with a combating India Open win for a Super 500 title noticed the duo win at their favorite venue the place they’ve a bunch of quarters, semis and a maiden ultimate in 2019.

    This was solely the second occasion in a Super Series of all 8 quarterfinalists coming from completely different international locations – and never one from Denmark – pointing to how aggressive the boys’s doubles class has develop into.

    The Indians took a 5-0 result in begin the match, and have been in aggressive mode – smashing generously in opposition to Lu/Yang, ranked 18 on this planet. Short, snappy, smoldering rallies gave them a 8-2 lead with Chirag significantly blistering from the forecourt.

    𝗝𝗢𝗗𝗜 𝗡𝗢. 1️⃣! 😎

    First-ever #Super750 🏆, 2️⃣nd #BWFWorldTour 👑 this 12 months. ✅

    Super pleased with this duo. 🤙@himantabiswa | @sanjay091968 #FrenchOpen2022#IndiaontheRise#Badminton pic.twitter.com/t09ATja7he

    — BAI Media (@BAI_Media) October 30, 2022

    Playing extra of a cross-attack from both flank in opposition to the left-right Taiwanese mix, Satwik was gunning for the angles and placement, whereas Chirag most popular to drag no punches attacking from the again – however all the time crossing in an X-attack.

    They would cross even in opposition to what was coming again straight, torquing their torsos, managing angles that neutralised the left-right mix.

    This was the third left-right mixture they have been up in opposition to, after the Popov brothers and the highest ranked Hoki-Kobayashi, however the Indians had their plans set. The serve variations have been restricted on the day although they’d sneak in a tumble serve within the opener.

    The simpler passage of play within the opening sport urged that the Taipese had been wildly nervous, error-prone, and somewhat clueless about the best way to stem the Indian assaults. Paralysed of their motion, and always underneath the assault of smashes, they appeared to bottle up their very own sport, conceding the opener.

    The second sport acquired extra thrilling because the Taiwanese, after trailing 5-11, jogged as much as 15-all on the again of a velocity spurt. The Indians appeared to have taken the foot off the pedal a tad, and that was sufficient for his or her opponents to sense a gap and go blitzing in.

    The French Open title caps an excellent 2022 for the Indian doubles pair, simply India’s most constant. (Credit: BAI)

    Nervy instances

    Coach Mathias Boe, who had run out of scoldings for the reason that Indians had been enjoying properly, would get to the sting of his seat. He had professional causes to fret, because the Taipese had switched gears and Yang particularly was hassling and harrying Satwik-Chirag, crowding them with their returns and nervousness resulting in sweaty palms.

    There have been situations prior to now replete with the Indians botching these sorts of leads, and a thought may need crossed their minds of one other meltdown. But it is a completely different Indian pairing from the one which misplaced in 2019. Bolstered, fortified by enjoying many strain video games and finals, they weren’t about to let go of one more large one. Their temperament carries a gleam of metal now.

    A tentative serve at 18-19 from Satwik had a scrambled determined second- and third-shot parry. They would survive gamely, and a Satwik smash would give them match level to alleviate the strain. Lu/Yang, enjoying their first ultimate at this degree, had piled on the strain within the second. But Chirag would maintain his nerve to struggle off ending body-shakes and ship again a neat angled return from the entrance court docket to scythe one throughout the Taiwanese throats. It was a wise angled return, with the cross once more working wonders.

    This caps an excellent 2022 for the Indian doubles pair, simply India’s most constant. They have achieved greater glory on the Thomas Cup and Commonwealth Games as a part of contingents and groups. But the French Open tour title, their first Super 750, was essential for the World No. 8 coming because it did on the venue of the Paris Olympics with Plumy the mascot anticipated to welcome them again on the Games two years later.

  • Of swivel serves and taking dangers: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty stun World No. 1

    At some level within the moments submit main 20-16 within the opening set, Chirag Shetty tried his swivel-serve. The high Indian doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had been taking part in Japan’s World No 1 pair of Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi. Shetty’s swivel serve goals to confound — he swings his serving shoulder alongside the ribcage axis and seeks to muddle the receiving of the serve by masking the precise second and angle of launch and assaults on the next second shot with pace. Many mistake his trying-too-hard for nervous restlessness when all of it goes kaput.

    On Friday, taking part in of their favorite event the French Open the place they’ve had some memorable weekend forays, Shetty as soon as once more introduced the 20-16 benefit to a 20-20 game-on scenario. But doubles is about daring badminton and risk-taking. Even because the Indians allowed the Japanese a toehold into the door, on this present day, they confirmed the braveness to battle on the next gear submit the 20-all stalemate.

    Six frittered factors later, they continued to serve boldly, Chirag defended like he had a wingspan of 9 toes and the pumped up pair grabbed the opener 23-21. Eventually the Indians swatted away the Japanese 23-21, 21-18 to make the semifinals. They play Choi Sol Gyu and Kim Won Ho on Saturday on the Stade Pierre de Coubertin.

    But again to the swivel serve. Satwik has his personal stab at it — although its skill to deceive opponents is very suspect. He tries anyway. So his torso doesn’t swivel, solely his forearms seesaw a bit comically. Then he returns to the conventional stance and sends forth a good if predictable serve, anyway. Chirag’s meditative incisive seeping dive into including serve variations the place he spends hours experimenting is well-known.

    So there was a fault in that frenzy submit 20-16, and likewise an excellent attacking iteration with the identical motion that yielded some extent, as he salvaged his personal error. Packing all of it in, darts and warts and all, Chirag Shetty displayed true grit to bounce again from errors, that are inevitable within the perennially fast-forwarded world of males’s doubles.

    In the second, the Indians trailed 13-9, 15-12 and 18-16. But in what has been champion dedication of current classic, the Indian duo would go on a 5-point rampage and wrap up the match in 49 strutting minutes. Coach Mathias Boe stays on their case, and the physique language was infinitely higher than final week at Denmark. But it was the boldness on the core that helped them end with that run of 5 factors.

    In course of their progress and disappointments, Satwik-Chirag are taking the following step from Top 10 to Top 5 in doubles: their protection is smoothening out. It appears to be like easy in opposition to a gradual paced pairing just like the Japanese, an indicator of high doubles courtcraft, although it might get a lot better when confronted with the Indonesian and Malaysians. For all their rating and World Championship title wins in 2019, the Japanese are usually not undecipherable, which exhibits within the Indian’s 3-1 face to face now.

    Still, the highest ranked pairing boast of a robust protection, and it’s right here that each Satwik and Chirag performed the neatest badminton on the day. They would draw them nearer and nearer to the sidelines and tease out extensive errors. But on a day after they had been on tune, the sweetest winners got here when Chirag first, Satwik in tow, bissected the Japanese bang center of courtroom with their scampering steeping assaults from the again courtroom.

    When they play like that, the Indians seem like they really belong. Question is can they go the gap after ejecting the World No 1s.

    The new Koreans

    In the semis, the Indians run into the newly reunited Korean pairing of Choi Sol Gyu, 27, (world’s quarterfinalist) and 23 yr previous Kim Won Ho, who made the Indonesia finals early this yr. The Indians have by no means performed this mix collectively, although the Koreans have reached World No 18 fairly shortly and can’t be handled as rank unknowns.

    The French Open has seen the emergence of a brand new Chinese pairing, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang who ousted the world champions Aaron-Soh in Round 1 – whether or not out of the Malaysians’ exhaustion from taking part in again to again occasions, or their very own bombastic breakthrough run.

    For Satwik and Chirag, the thriller of the Korean recreation would possibly pose an early problem, although they’ve seemed good to improvise and usually been excessive on confidence at a venue they dig. Still the Indians can be eager to set an early pattern and seize the primary honours in opposition to the normally fleet footed Koreans. 2022 has been a great yr for the highest Indian pair. But nothing beats a run to the title – imminently achievable after their accounting of the World No 1s.

  • French Open badminton: Rankireddy-Chirag in pre-quarters, others lose

    Commonwealth Games gold medallists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty rallied to beat France’s Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov to enter the lads’s doubles pre-quarterfinals of the French Open Super 750 match on Tuesday.

    Paris,UPDATED: Oct 25, 2022 23:32 IST

    French Open: Rankireddy-Chirag enter pre-quarters (Reuters)

    By India Today Web Desk: Commonwealth Games gold medallists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty got here again sturdy to win their first spherical of the French Open Super 750 on Tuesday on the Stade Pierre de Coubertin in Paris. Chirag-Satwik rallied to beat France’s Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov to enter the lads’s doubles pre-quarterfinals.

    The Indian duo misplaced the primary recreation 19-21 however recovered strongly to win the following two 21-9, 21-13 of their spherical of 32 match.

    However, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand bowed out of the match after shedding in straight video games of their opening girls’s doubles match.

    Treesa and Gayatri put up a gallant battle earlier than shedding 21-23, 20-22 to the sixth-seeded Thai pair of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai.

    In the blended doubles, Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto additionally could not cross the primary spherical, shedding 13-21, 16-21 to Japan’s Kyohei Yamashita and Naru Shinoya. After two reverses, world quantity 8 Rankireddy and Chirag ended the day on a optimistic observe for India.

    Published On:

    Oct 25, 2022

  • Satwik-Chirag proceed their silent rise, beat All-England champions to succeed in quarterfinals of Denmark Open

    If there’s been a silently rumbling juggernaut in Indian sport this yr, it’s the doubles pairing of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. Thomas Cup champions. Commonwealth Games gold. World Championship bronze. It’s not stopped raining in Shetty’s Mumbai and he and his companion haven’t stopped successful and ticking the bins of huge titles.

    In a singles-less world – alternately, the late 90s and early Noughties of Indian tennis – the duo would’ve been as stratospheric in Indian sportsdom as Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had been. As issues stand, the 2 quietly go about their jobs, footslogging away in quest of the Paris Olympic medal which might be their final prize. It begins with slaying a very obstinate demon – Malaysians Aaron Chia – Soh Wooi Yik.

    The Indians have an unflattering 0-6 report towards the Malaysian World Champions. This contains the World Championship that ended Aaron-Soh’s personal seek for a world title, the place they quelled the Indians in three units in a 77-minute lengthy semifinal.

    Four of the six faceoffs have been three-setters. More importantly, Aaron Chia is a grasp of the large event – lording over the 4 event quarterfinals and two semifinals. Satwik-Chirag beat again All England champions, Muhammad Shohibul Fikri – Maulana Bagas 21-14, 21-16 on Thursday on the Denmark Open to arrange a seventh assembly with Aaron-Soh, and are trying very sharp. For a rivalry that’s bristled, brewed and boomed over the Thomas Cup (the place Malaysians break up their lead pair and misplaced), the CWG (beat Indians within the staff closing) and Worlds (edged them out narrowly in semis), their Odense quarters is comparatively low-key. Cue: Indians play freely, and take a look at break the 6-0 voodoo.

    While you had been browsing different sports activities

    Satwik-Chirag’s Worlds bronze, although historic, remained under the radar, as bronze medals do – after the semis loss. It can be a testomony to the high-quality badminton they play day in, time out – for 4 years now, if you’ll – that the Worlds exit in August was seen as a disappointment, quite than India’s pathbreaking first doubles medal. But solely the duo know the way robust it’s to interrupt by way of the Indonesian and Malaysian maze of males’s doubles in badminton – the smashes, like rain, by no means cease pouring. “15-20 strokes both ways with dozen smashes, and then you can start thinking of a point,” jokes India’s doubles coach on the camp, Arun Vishnu. “The winner in these matches is who can maintain quality of attack when tired.”

    The opponents sometimes play flat drives at very excessive pace, don’t elevate the shuttle – realizing the tall Indians will pounce – and are singularly relentless. Indians face this barrage on daily basis – by definition, doubles is that – and have emerged as one of many world’s greatest – the Koreans they beat in Round 1 had been no mugs, the Indonesians, because the All England affirms, are the most popular younger pair from the doubles behemoth. Knowing that the assaults might be unceasing on the high degree, Satwik-Chirag haven’t paused to have a good time their many achievements.

    Thomas Cup accomplished, they stalked the CWG title. That accomplished, they obtained cracking on the World’s. The medal neatly folded away, Satwik-Chirag had been on the courtroom with coach Mathias Boe – chipping away, chiselling their meticulous sport.

    Satwik has misplaced some critical weight and is transferring crisply with a disciplined weight loss program and health modifications. It is Chirag Shetty although, the deeply intense and overthinking teen, who by no means stops making an attempt, that’s fuelling this self-driven pair, whose coaches don’t want to inform twice.

    Their coaching periods are thought of to be 100 per cent intense, simulating actual competitors. “Chirag is the last man to go off the court,” Arun says. “He’ll stay on for half hour 45 minutes after everyone is finished, and practice service, receiving, variations. Even after good results, these two haven’t gotten carried away. They keep working towards the next goal,” he provides.

    The subsequent yr is the qualification for Paris, however the pairing has had a stupendous 2022 and the starvation to be the very best has gone nowhere. “Maybe it was the Tokyo medal they missed that hurt. But they just don’t stop working hard,” Arun says.

    The Aaron issue

    The Indians will see their urge for food mirrored from throughout, with Aaron Chia, the formidable, frenetic, fabulously inventive and forceful Malaysian. He could be very constant, performs excessive requirements by way of a rally, and all the pieces comes again.

    Indians use the change of tempo extraordinarily cannily to disclaim the Malaysians a steady stream of birds, although the World Championships unusually noticed quick rallies, and Indians had been put underneath the pump within the third. Aaron has epic management of the shuttle, creates intelligent openings for Soh, boasts a masterful serve with variations, and brings pristine high quality shot-making on the clutch. Soh cops the bullying that weak hyperlinks do, however he’s accomplished it so usually he’s gotten excellent at parrying assaults off. “If Indians get the first game, they’ll not let go. I’m confident they’ll break through the Malaysians,” says former doubles Olympian, Manu Attri.

    He senses a win across the nook, including that the Indians who morph their defence into assault, are trying good to place one throughout. “Satchi have gotten consistent. Earlier, they would give away 3-4 points. Now they give 1, take 3-4. Boe’s guiding them very intelligently,” he says.

    “It has to break at some point. It could be tomorrow,” avers his companion Sumeeth Reddy, including Indians carry the venom of with the ability to break any defence, and the Malaysians will stay cautious of taking them on on the web, regardless of the CWG staff occasion loss.

    “Chirag has to shoulder the burden of creating wise setups against Aaron-Soh,” Reddy says, believing a win is on the anvil. “I don’t think Malaysians are ahead of Indians. They are equal. If we can just control the nerves, then we can win.”

    Arun Vishnu reckons taking part in fearlessly will assist Indians on Friday, even when copping the smash assault may be mentally and bodily draining. The Indians may give it again nearly as good as they get, and it’s why former gamers mark the competition 50/50.

    Indian assault variations – not solely do they tenor and key the tempo, they combine their drops and half smashes fortunately to interrupt the frenetic rhythm the Malaysians like – imply the 6-0 wall can break anytime now. “It’s about one win. Just one. Then the floodgates will open,” Arun guarantees.

  • Despite 0-5 file, Satwik-Chirag upbeat about Malaysian problem

    The purpose why Indian badminton circles are buzzing with a whiff of a World title last this weekend, is how Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have warmed as much as Tokyo. The exceptional Indians, solely simply hitting their prime, have really misplaced 5 instances to Malaysian semifinal opponents Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi-Yik, with out ever profitable any match in return.

    But a mixture of prevailing situations – slow-ish shuttles and the Malaysians’ personal demons related to semifinals have led to the effervescent perception that Saturday might be the much-anticipated reversal. A turnaround the place not solely do Satwik-Chirag upturn the 0-5 head-to-head rating, but in addition avenge their defeat within the crew occasion on the Commonwealth Games. But additionally the place Indian doubles itself takes off into the stratosphere, which may solely occur with a World title last.

    Satwik-Chirag are Thomas Cup champions, they’ve received a bit on the circuit too. But singles triumphs routinely overshadow their pathbreaking achievements, be it CWG gold or India Open title. They are adored by India’s badminton trustworthy for his or her expertise and thrilling model of play. At the Worlds, they’re craving the kind of magical reverence Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi achieved in 1999 – by profitable the largest summer season titles of tennis on the French Open and Wimbledon.

    Satwik pioneered a piggyback, as an alternative of Indian tennis’ chest bump, when the medal was assured. But now, the shuttle duo wants a date with the Sunday last. And a scythe on the 0-5 unflattering historical past.

    So, right here’s the way it would possibly really occur.

    𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐒 🤩🔥

    All the very best @satwiksairaj & @Shettychirag04 👊#BWFWorldChampionships2022#BWFWorldChampionships#BWC2022#Tokyo2022#IndiaontheRise#Badminton pic.twitter.com/ynbVRb4DaQ

    — BAI Media (@BAI_Media) August 26, 2022

    Aaron-Soh have a fast-paced, energy recreation with a formidable defence. In quick, the Malaysians prefer to rush their opponents, crowd them with pace. The laidback shuttle – although Friday acquired sooner on the center two courts – aids the Indian recreation higher, based mostly as it’s on strokes – angles, size, variations, the works – quite than raining down smashes.

    The Indian defence isn’t too shabby, however the slower situations will give them that additional second to get composed and react because the shuttle travels again rather less like a rocket. It opens up the sport for the Indians, who dictated play in totality within the decider on Friday in opposition to the Japanese defending champions – equally blitzy.

    So, whereas the Malaysians can’t assist searching the shuttle, to smother it, Indians will work the hen with this luxurious of micro-seconds in defence, and selection in their very own attacking choices. Chirag would do effectively to recall the loss in opposition to the identical Malaysians on the CWG, the place he allowed excitable nerves to be seduced into making an attempt to out-hit the hit-happy Aaron-Soh.

    To his credit score, Chirag checked himself instantly, lower down on erratic placing for reasonable factors and has been an image of calm at Tokyo. He’s trusted Satwik to carry his finish of the cut price, not been impatient, and carried out greater than the heavy lifting in defence.

    “If opponents see that Indians are enjoying themselves, then half their fight will be broken,” reckons India’s doubles Olympian Sumeeth Reddy, who senses a chunky medal coming the doubles method, higher than the assured bronze. “Their confidence makes them very intimidating to face,” he notes.

    Cause for optimism

    What’s maybe acquired Indians rubbing fingers in anticipation is how the Indians stack up in opposition to Aaron-Soh in huge event matches. The Malaysian lengthy craving for a title in singles continues. But Aaron-Soh carry a further weak point of getting by no means gone onto seal a giant title, regardless of hitting the excessive notes in 2018.

    To ensure, Aaron-Soh are Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists. But they spectacularly faltered within the CWG particular person semis, settling for bronze to nice rancour again residence, and don a millstone of botched 5 semis in tournaments this yr. They are but to win an Open title, and it’s an space the place Satwik-Chirag maintain the sting – they embrace the massive battle, and have a imply smashing recreation to kill off shuttles and never crumble below the burden of expectations.

    The Malaysians had spoken earlier of a poor begin to the Worlds and adjustment woes, wanting to return to less complicated instances of the 2018 Nanjing Worlds after they weren’t coming undone below strain of getting Malaysia its ever-elusive medal. Badminton’s like Indian cricket in Malaysia, and the questions on their temperament have hounded all of them the best way, although they seemed calm of their commanding win in opposition to the Koreans within the quarters.

    “That Malaysian mental block makes it interesting,” Reddy says. Think South Africa and World Cup semis, that’s how dire the burden has develop into for the Malaysians.

    The Indians have been relentless – not content material with semis; they’ve voiced their urge for food for gold. The Thomas Cup set excessive requirements the place a bronze – even their maiden one – may not satiate them sufficient. “Satwik and Chirag are great unassuming guys. They’ll put their heads down and work towards the bigger medal,” Reddy assures.

    India’s former Malaysian and Indonesian coaches put Satwik-Chirag by some fairly disciplined bodily exercises, and the duo factored within the peaking for the Worlds whilst they had been enjoying simpler matches for the CWG gold. Knowing that the larger gold was three weeks away was the important thing. From 4.5 hours behind to three.5 hours forward, Birmingham to Tokyo, Satwik-Chirag’s large strides have made an impression in each time zone with CWG celebrations put at bay until this one was nailed. A 0-5 previous would possibly effectively be rendered redundant on Saturday for the one semifinal that issues.

  • From aggressive to intimidating: The Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty story

    Making the reigning World Champions look fairly pedestrian taking part in at dwelling when defending their title, would rely as one of many lesser gloats for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty after their sensational 24-22, 15-21, 21-14 victory over Japan’s Takuro Hoki – Yugo Kobayashi.

    Ensuring a first-ever Men’s Doubles World Medal for India, and importantly for themselves, is, in fact, the larger boast.

    Hoki-Kobayashi additionally had silver from the 2019 version at Basel, and had emerged from the pandemic isolation within the 2021 season with 4 titles from 5 finals, plus the World’s gold. They didn’t make Japan’s rivalry for the Olympics, which the house shuttlers spectacularly botched, and had simply the Malaysia title in 2022. But seeded second, and with a blitzy sport with dependable protection to their credit score, the duo had began as favourites within the quarterfinal going for his or her third World’s medal.

    Yet, in what evokes recollections of India’s Summer slam of badminton, the Thomas Cup triumph, Satwik-Chirag have raised hopes of going the gap on the Tokyo version, with this win over the World No 2. Shetty reckoned the Thomas Cup title – the place the doubles success was pivotal to wins – nonetheless sits slightly increased than Friday’s win. But ought to the person World title come their manner, it is going to rely as equal to the dream group triumph.

    𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐈-𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐒 ⚔️

    An alternative to write down the historical past once more for the 🇮🇳 MD pair @satwiksairaj/@Shettychirag04 tomorrow on the #BWFWorldChampionships2022 🔥⚔️

    Live on @VootSelect and @Sports18 from 8.30am 🎥#PBLIndia #BWFWorldChampionships #Tokyo2022 #Badminton pic.twitter.com/xITTiPeMdL

    — Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) August 26, 2022

    Satwik-Chirag’s success comes from their insatiable urge for food to show they’re amongst the world’s greatest after a number of seasons of dawdling within the Top 10, after they ran the largest names shut. Then they wished to be that massive title themselves. So, in rolled the formidable 2022 season the place the India Open title didn’t imply that the Thomas Cup was a step too far. Where the Thomas Cup miracle marvel didn’t suggest the Commonwealth Games couldn’t be received. And the place the CWG triumph was no excuse to not peak for the World’s. The 2022 summer season got here as a bundle – the duo wished to win every thing, polish off the buffet. Hoki-Kobayashi stood no likelihood within the decider, given how at dwelling the Indians felt in Tokyo, the place they’d missed out on the Olympics regardless of taking part in like the highest names, even beating the very best.

    And so when the Friday solar rose in Tokyo, the Indians couldn’t wait to show up and push out the house hopes. Satwik was keen as ever to scalp the larger title. But it was in Chirag Shetty’s uncharacteristic calm that India discovered its successful totem, the centred axis.

    Chirag believed this Japanese pairing was beatable. Such instincts are based mostly not on rankings, however a radical homework of taking part in types and circumstances. India’s super-smart coach Mathias Boe, who broke down a number of Asian pairs along with his astute evaluation as a participant, had pinpoint directions. Keeping the Japanese cell and busy and never affording them an inkling of the shuttle trajectory with good crazy puzzles was the plan. Like a thermostat regulates warmth, the Indians saved a verify on the tempo. Placement received them factors and a 11-5 lead within the opener because the poking Hoki was harried and hassled saved occupied in pursuit.

    Then, the Indians received drawn into flatter, sooner exchanges – by no means omen as with the tables turned, errors got here in a heap. Twice, the returns went lengthy and twice the smashes crashed into the online, an indication of being jostled. The Japanese levelled at 14-all.

    The 1️⃣st 🇮🇳 MD pair to safe a medal on the #BWFWorldChampionships have their say after an emphatic victory earlier at this time in Tokyo 🔥🗣️@himantabiswa | @sanjay091968#BWFWorldChampionships2022#BWC2022#Tokyo2022#IndiaontheRise#Badminton pic.twitter.com/MYuHjDnXe7

    — BAI Media (@BAI_Media) August 26, 2022

    Then got here the second of magic. Satwik snapped his strings and hopped out to choose a brand new racquet. Chirag was within the zone by then at 18-17, and despatched again two on both flank, allowed the returning Satwik to provide these new strings a thwack, after which completed off with a flying sideways cross for 19-17. Still, the Japanese resistance was solely simply needled into motion, so that they levelled at 19-all.

    Amidst questioning how Chirag was holding it collectively so coolly, Satwik erred within the internet.19-20. Chirag had his again, troubleshooting with a steep dunk figuring out the flat alternate baiting by Japanese was nicely and really executed. 20-all. Chirag would deliver his share of error at 22-all. He would make amends himself with one other downer from midcourt earlier than celebrating with an indignant yelp as the subsequent winner, gave them the lead.

    The roar was untimely, and a mistake of blood-rushing proportions. So buzzed have been the Indians and so satisfied was Chirag that extra of the “neeche maar” would tug away the second set for them, they received carried away and dragged right into a decider after the Japanese received from the worser aspect, 21-15. Hoki had extra decibels, Kobayashi the extra pertinent footfalls – arching protection and durable protection on court docket.

    It’s within the decider that the Indians took something the Japanese would do, out of the equation. The Indians who’re comfy on the sluggish shuttle Western categorical freeway tempo of shuttle visitors – it strikes, however don’t rely how lengthy you stare at a passing hoarding ever in Bombay – hit the liberating sea-link, with a minimal pace restrict enforced.

    Upping their aggression, with Chirag now as proactive as he stayed poised, the Indians had one more 11-5 lead. Uncluttered by Boe’s gameplans that noticed them start to bully the Japanese now, the 2 saved the shuttle self-discipline – fingers held excessive to catch the shuttle early, and the fowl despatched proper down promptly to keep away from any parallel sport hysterics. The Japanese by no means led, by no means recovered, and peacefully gave the impression to be handing over the crown for keepsakes, hopefully for a Sunday coronation.

    The second when @satwiksairaj & @Shettychirag04 etched their title within the historical past books and sealed a spot within the last-4 of the #BWFWorldChampionships2022 😎🎦@himantabiswa | @sanjay091968

    Video courtesy: @bwfmedia#BWFWorldChampionships#BWC2022#Tokyo2022#IndiaontheRise pic.twitter.com/O25tg4QMpn

    — BAI Media (@BAI_Media) August 26, 2022

    The Chirag leap of religion

    The story goes that on a trip at Mangalore along with his household, Shetty received a name from his Mumbai coach Uday Pawar that the then All England champ Mathias Boe was on the town, and he might perhaps spar with the Danish Olympic medallist. Chirag, then 15, took a late bus out of the seaside metropolis alone and turned up for follow on the Goregaon Sports Club. That was the primary time Chirag Shetty took cost of his profession.

    Over the years, the soft-spoken man has prevailed in convincing directors that Boe should work longer with the Indians. During Covid lockdowns, the native ward workplace and police station received a request to permit Shetty to coach at Goregaon stadium.

    Noone opposed it, however Shetty’s restlessness to get on with coaching had impressed the surprised officers. Some of his largest disappointments, Chirag has nursed himself again to feeling regular by immersing in follow and urged by his father to grow to be extra decisive. “How else do you learn?” his dad says recalling that bus trip resolution.

    He’s labored on crouching decrease on the internet to enhance his sport, and erase predictability of the mix by including variations along with his swivel serve and racquethead angles, at the same time as Satwik’s intuitive calm bearing steered them ahead in early years.

    What was a sensible, tall, aggressive pairing has taken a 12 months to show intimidating. It’s come from his implicit perception in Boe who he is aware of has received on the highest degree, and may do the backroom abacus for the pair to execute on the store flooring. With the Thomas Cup got here the fearlessness and a self-belief that will probably be laborious to place down by simply sporting a badge of world rating. Satwik-Chirag covet Top 3 place. After Friday’s consequence they appear like they’re taking part in like one.

  • We wish to end issues on an enormous observe, says Satwik

    Ecstatic after successful a maiden World Championships medal, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy on Friday stated the season has been a “dream” for him and his doubles accomplice Chirag Shetty and the 2 would look to complete the event on a “big” observe right here.

    The world quantity 7 pair has been merely sensational this 12 months, claiming a brilliant 500 India Open title in January earlier than fashioning India’s epic win in Thomas Cup after which successful a maiden Commonwealth Games gold earlier this month.

    “It has been a dream for us, starting with the India Open, the Thomas Cup and then the Commonwealth Games gold. As I speak, I am feeling so happy and excited,” Satwik stated after assuring the pair of no less than a bronze right here.

    Calm confidence the important thing for @satwiksairaj and @Shettychirag04 🇮🇳#BWFWorldChampionships #Tokyo2022 pic.twitter.com/dO3nPhusKI

    — BWF (@bwfmedia) August 26, 2022

    Satwik and Chirag on Friday turned the primary Indian pair to win a medal within the males’s doubles competitors on the World Championships after beautiful the native favourites and defending champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 24-22 15-21 21-14 within the quarterfinals.

    “It is a big win for us. We haven’t played them in a long time. They are the current world champions and we badly wanted to play against them but we are always up against the top seeds Kevin (Sukamuljo) and (Marcus) Gideon in tournaments,” Satwik stated.

    “We were excited as we wanted to see our level against them and I’m very happy with the way we played. We took a revenge on our former coach, Tan Kim Her, so I am happy for that,” he added.
    Tan Kim Her from Malaysian was instrumental in forming the Indian pair throughout his stint as India’s doubles coach. He is at present teaching the Japanese doubles crew.

    The Indian mixture will meet sixth seeded Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik within the semifinals. Satwik and Chirag had misplaced to the Malaysian duo in the course of the finals of combined crew occasion at CWG in Birmingham.

    “Here we want to finish it on a big note, not just finish in semifinals but go further. Tomorrow, it will be a revenge match,” Satwik stated.

    Asked the place does the medal rank amid their achievements, Chirag stated: “We haven’t finished the tournament and we want to go all the way but Thomas Cup is up there at the top. If we win it here, it will be at par with the Thomas Cup.”

    Talking concerning the quarterfinal match, Satwik stated: “In the primary recreation, we acquired a lead however they acquired the rhythm again and after that it was only one level every. From deep inside, we have been calm.

    “I saw Chirag was calm and I was telling him ‘shout shout’ but I sensed it that we are under control, he knows that we are going to win, so no need to panic and let him control everything.”

    Chirag stated they have been rewarded for being extra proactive within the match.

    “We controlled the shuttle a lot better in third game. In the second game, we knew we were on a good side but we were a bit complacent.”

    “But in the first game, we were proactive in our approach, so we started off that way in the third game, taking the shuttle as high as possible and keeping it down, instead of getting into those drive situations with them.” Crestfallen after dropping within the males’s singles quarterfinals, HS Prannoy stated he must be a notch higher to win massive titles.

    “It is a good tournament but would have loved to be in the podium. But some days you have to work harder. I have been decent last few months with few quarterfinals and semifinals. But if I have to win tournaments, I have to be one notch better than what I am right now,” he stated.

    Prannoy had struck the primary blow by successful the opening recreation however he squandered the chance as unseeded Chinese Zhao Jun Peng emerged victories 19-21 21-6 21-18 in an exhilarating contest.

    “I assume the third recreation begin was essential. In first 11, I needed to have a very good lead however it turned approach to shut for him to play freely from the higher facet. I may have performed higher from the beginning.

    “He started to play better from second game and third game he moved quickly and got the shuttle high.”