In a massive moment for Indian badminton, the duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat South Korea’s Choi Solgyu and Kim Wonho in the final of the men's doubles at the Asian Games on Saturday, October 7. The doubles pair won 21-18, 21-16 in 56 minutes as India secured their first gold medal in the history of badminton at the Asian Games.
Satwik and Chirag, currently ranked third in the world, continued their remarkable streak with a 21-18, 21-16 victory over the 15th-ranked duo, Choi and Kim. This win comes after their historic achievement in March, where they became the first Indians to clinch the Asian championships in 58 years.
This victory also marks India's first men's doubles medal in 41 years, the last being a bronze secured by Leroy D'sa and Pradeep Gandhe in 1982.
With this win, India recorded its best performance at the continental championships, taking home three medals: gold in men's doubles, silver in the men's team event, and bronze in men's singles. In comparison, India secured a silver and bronze in the 2018 Jakarta edition and five bronze medals in 1982.
Furthermore, when the BWF releases its ranking chart on Tuesday, Satwik and Chirag are set to be recognized as the world's top-ranked team.
Satwik and Chirag's legendary status in badminton has been further cemented with their recent Asian Games gold. This adds to their impressive tally, which includes a gold from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the 2022 Thomas Cup title, and a bronze from the 2022 World Championships.
Additionally, this year, the pair clinched the Asia Championships gold, Indonesia Super 1000, Korea Super 500, and the Swiss Open Super 300 titles.
The Indian team entered the final with a 2-0 advantage in previous encounters against their rivals. The beginning of the match was challenging, with Satwik and Chirag trailing for most of the initial game, even as both teams showcased exceptional offensive skills.
Despite this, the Indian pair persistently closed the gap with the Koreans and managed to overtake them, overcoming a four-point deficit in the final stages of the opening game.
From that point on, Satwik and Chirag took control. They strategically slowed down the rallies and maintained a lead, ultimately securing the victory.
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