Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty added another first in Indian badminton to their name, as they became the first men's doubles pair from the country to reach the final of the Asia Championships on Saturday.
The sixth seeds were involved in a close battle with reigning Olympic champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin of Chinese Taipei before their opponents were forced to retire midway through the second game. Wang injured his leg while lunging for a shot at 13-14.
Satwik-Chirag had won the first game 21-18, which was as close an encounter as the scoreline suggested. The Indian duo prevailed thanks to their quickfire attack shining through - when neither pair could get momentum going for long as the serve kept fluctuating. Like the quarterfinal, Sat-Chi's powerful smashes got them the points they wanted in the short rallies. They were calm throughout the semifinal, even when trailing by a point during the first mid-game interval, and when Satwik had a service error for height. Their composure was as telling of their development as their flat hitting and swift ending of points. It was a confident performance from a pair who know what they are capable of.
It has been a remarkable run from the Indian pair in Dubai, who have made a habit of this in the last year - with a first Thomas Cup title, Commonwealth Games gold and World Championship medal in 2022. They are the last Indians standing in the 2023 Asian Championships after PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy went down in the quarterfinals.
Satwik and Chirag had already ensured India's first men's doubles medal in 52 years when they beat the legendary pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan (the 'Daddies') in the quarters. With this result, they are now the first Indians to play a final at the Asian championships since Dinesh Khanna won India's only ever gold in 1965.
1️⃣st ���� men's doubles pair to enter the finals at Badminton Asia Championships ����
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty for you ladies and gentlemen ����
��: @badmintonphoto @himantabiswa | @sanjay091968 | @lakhaniarun1 #BAC2023#IndiaontheRise#Badminton pic.twitter.com/pSDjrLGKM6
- BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 29, 2023
They now stand a very good chance of being India's second, when they take on eighth seeds Teo Ee Yi and Ong Yew Sin in the final. They have a 3-3 head-to-head record against the Malaysians, with the Indians winning their last match in March, en route to the Swiss Open title. Prior to that victory was a loss at the Thomas Cup last year; a time where the Indian pair were still underdogs on the international stage.
However, there will be some worry in the Indian camp over fitness as Chirag needed a brief medical break at the start of the second game. He had his ankle sprayed on court and looked to be well thereafter.
With the Olympic qualification cycle and Sudirman Cup - the world team championships - starting next month, there is a lot riding on Satwik and Chirag's fitness and performance in the final. Yet, given the ease with which they have played and won their last two matches, it's fair to say that they comfortably are *the* in-form Indians in badminton at present.