In a groundbreaking moment for Indian badminton, the men's team clinched a spot in the Asian Games final, marking their first-ever entry to the championship round. With a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Republic of Korea, India now stands guaranteed a silver medal. This achievement follows a rich history with India securing its fourth men's team medal at the Asian Games, recalling the bronzes from Seoul 1986, New Delhi 1982, and Tehran 1974.
The semifinal kickstarted on a positive note with HS Prannoy, world championships bronze medallist, overcoming Korea's Hyeokjin Jeon in a thrilling contest with scores of 18-21, 21-16, 21-19. Prannoy, ranked 7th globally, reversed his early setback against the 47th ranked Hyeokjin to hand India its first point.
However, the momentum tilted when the formidable duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, ranked second globally, suffered a 21-13, 26-24 defeat to Korea's Seungjae Seo and Minhyuk Kang. This setback levelled the overall score, pushing India to dig deep.
India's response was emphatic. Lakshya Sen, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, showcased his mettle, overpowering Yungyu Lee 21-7, 21-9 in under 45 minutes. But the rollercoaster match saw another twist as Arjun Madathil Ramachandran and Dhruv Kapila faced defeat against Korea's Wonho Kim and Sungseunhg Na.
With the contest poised at 2-2, all eyes turned to Kidambi Srikanth's decisive singles clash. Initially outplayed by Geonyeop Cho, Srikanth displayed incredible resilience to turn the match around. The encounter reached a gripping climax in the deciding game, with Srikanth sealing a 12-21, 21-16, 21-14 win, ensuring India's maiden berth in the Asian Games final.
India now braces for a challenging final against the defending champions, China, who outclassed Japan 3-1 in their respective semifinal.
In contrast, the Indian women's team faced an early exit in the quarterfinals. Led by the two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, the team suffered a 0-3 defeat against a formidable Thai side, marking the end of their campaign in the 2023 Asian Games.
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