NEW DELHI: The star Indian badminton duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, etched their names in the history books by securing the men’s doubles title at the Indonesia Open on Sunday. Their remarkable victory marks the first time a doubles pair from India has claimed a Super 1000 event.
Ranked sixth in the world, Satwiksairaj and Chirag have further solidified their successful careers, having previously won a gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the world championships last year. They demonstrated exceptional skill and determination as they outclassed Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yika in straight games, finishing with a scoreline of 21-17, 21-18.
“This part of my life, this little part, is called happiness”
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Following their momentous win, Satwiksairaj expressed his gratitude, saying, “We had prepared very well for this event. We knew the crowd would be supporting us. They have supported us all week. This has been an amazing week for us. We played amazing badminton today. We didn’t have a good head-to-head record against them, so we wanted to play one point at a time, and it fetched the result for us.”
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🏆🥇
Proud of you boys 🫶
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Taking control midway through the first game, Satwiksairaj and Chirag maintained their dominance throughout the match, leaving their opponents with little chance to stage a comeback. The Indian duo continued their solid performance in the second game, preventing their rivals from gaining any momentum, and a crucial four-point streak kept them ahead of the curve.
Into the history books, again 😍🏆
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— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) June 18, 2023
The Malaysians briefly threatened the Indians’ victory by nullifying four match points, narrowing the scoreline. However, Satwiksairaj and Chirag, with a world ranking of sixth, remained unyielding. With the score reading 20-18 in their favor, they seized the opportunity and converted the match point, securing a magnificent win. Notably, this victory marked the first time Satwiksairaj and Chirag defeated Aaron and Soh in eleven attempts.
The triumph of Satwiksairaj and Chirag at the Indonesia Open is truly unprecedented. While Saina Nehwal (2010, 2012) and Kidambi Srikanth (2017) had previously clinched the singles crown in Jakarta, this victory makes Satwiksairaj and Chirag the first Indian doubles pair to land the title. They have also become the first doubles team from India to secure a Super 1000 title, as well as the first to triumph in the S100, S300, S500, S750, and S1000 events.
Their journey to the final of the Super 1000 tournament was equally remarkable. As Asian champions, the 2022 world championships bronze medalists achieved an extraordinary comeback against the Korean combination of Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae, triumphing with a thrilling 17-21, 21-19, 21-18 victory in the semifinals. This victory held particular significance as they defeated the current world champions in less than an hour.
Chirag’s exceptional performance at the net, characterized by his swift interceptions and defensive skills, played a crucial role in the Indian pair’s success. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour consists of various levels, including the World Tour Finals, four Super 1000, six Super 750, seven Super 500, and eleven Super 300 tournaments. Additionally, the BWF Tour Super 100 level offers ranking points.
Each of these tournaments carries different ranking points and prize money, with the Super 1000 level providing the highest number of ranking points and the most significant prize pool. The triumph at the Indonesia Open adds to Satwiksairaj and Chirag’s already impressive collection of titles, which includes a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, a gold medal at the Thomas Cup, a bronze medal at the World Championships, and victories at the Super 300 (Syed Modi), Super 500 (Thailand and India Open), and Super 750 (French Open) tournaments.
In the women’s singles final, China’s Chen Yu Fei defeated Spain’s Carolina Marin with a scoreline of 21-18, 21-19, clinching the title.
