New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) “It feels like redemption,” says Chirag Shetty, one half of the celebrated SatChi combo that ensured that India did not go medal-less at the just-concluded World Badminton Championship in Paris, the city where the two endured the biggest heartbreak of their career.
Chirag and his longtime partner Satwiksairaj Rankireddy won the men’s doubles bronze last week. The world No. 9 pair notched up a commanding win over Malaysia’s two-time Olympic medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the quarterfinals to secure what was their second World Championships medal.
However, their bid to become the first Indian men’s doubles pair to reach the final ended with a defeat to China’s 11th seeds Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the semifinals.
“I think that win against Aaron is definitely very special. More than winning the medal, just knowing for a fact that if we play the right game tactically, we can beat anyone. We’ve not had a very handsome record against them lately, especially at both the Olympics,” Chirag told PTI.
“So winning that match in two straight games definitely gave us a huge boost and also was a sort of redemption for last year’s Olympic Games, where we played in the exact same arena and on the same court. So yeah, it feels really special.” A year ago, Satwik and Chirag had endured the pain of missing out on a medal at the Olympics after their campaign was cut short by the Malaysian duo.
The bronze medal helped Satwik and Chirag join Saina Nehwal (2) and PV Sindhu (5) as the only Indians to win multiple medals at the World Championships.
“It feels really special knowing that we would be joining Saina and Sindhu as the only other players to have won multiple medals at the World Championships. It makes it even more special because we’ve not had the best of years, both on and off the court,” he said.
“This win surely gives us hope and also the boost that yes, we are on the right track and the hardships we have gone through in the past year or so, it all makes it worthwhile,” he said.
On Saturday, the Indians squandered an 11-6 lead to lose the opening game but bounced back to win the second. In the decider, however, they quickly fell behind 1-9, ending their chances.
“I think the momentum did shift in the deciding game. We were trying to be quick at the net and keep it low, but they were serving quite well. We had no option but to be as quick as possible at the net and take it early.
“They mixed it up with flicks as well, so credit to them that they always kept us guessing. Looking back, I think we should have held back a little, received it and then attacked on the second or third shot rather than pressing for the kill from the first stroke.
“They definitely used the flick serve quite effectively. It’s one of those things –sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But they served really well, and once someone is not under pressure, they just play freely,” he explained.
The medal extended India’s streak of podium finishes at the World Championships since 2011.
“Yeah, I think it definitely keeps our streak of winning medals at the World Championships going. It’s a great feat. Coming into the tournament, all of us had tough draws, but coming out with two quarterfinals and one medal is truly special.
“Also, special mention to (HS) Prannoy — he almost beat the world No. 2. Overall, it was a good campaign for India,” Chirag said.
Looking ahead, Chirag stressed the need to regain peak fitness.
“Our short-term goal is to be fit first and be at our physical best. Once we are able to do that, the next would be to reach a final in a tournament and hopefully win it. For this year, it’s to play the season-ending World Tour Finals and go as deep as possible,” he said.
The duo has endured a difficult phase marked by injuries, poor form and personal loss. Satwik suffered back and elbow injuries post-Olympics, and just as he returned, tragedy struck with the passing of his father due to cardiac arrest in February. He was side-lined again by chickenpox.
Chirag, meanwhile, struggled with a recurring back injury.
“We’ve not had the best of years. It’s been a tough journey with lots of ups and downs, both personally and on court. We’ve not been able to train at 100 per cent yet. It depends on how our body reacts, so we’ve been going slow and steady.
“But I think we are on the right track and eventually, we’ll be able to break that barrier and be at our physical best soon,” Chirag said. PTI ATK PM ATK PM PM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.