India is absolutely buzzing with excitement, and for a very good reason! Our star shuttlers, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have cemented their place in history, guaranteeing India a coveted medal at the World Championships. This stellar achievement comes after their incredible victory over Malaysia’s formidable two-time Olympic medallists, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, in the men’s doubles quarterfinals in Paris. This wasn’t just any win, it was sweet redemption for the Indian duo.
A year ago, the same court in Paris brought heartbreak when they lost to Chia and Soh, crushing their Olympic medal dreams. But oh, how the tables have turned! World No. 3 Satwik and Chirag delivered a commanding performance, securing a 21-12, 21-19 win in just 43 minutes. They didn’t just win, they avenged that painful loss and stormed into the semifinals late Friday night.
Chirag couldn’t hide his joy after the match, saying, “Feeling really good. It was a rematch of sorts from the Olympics. And I think we finally got some redemption. It was the same court, same arena. A year back exactly. Olympics and now World Championships.” He added, “It’s always a pleasure playing against them. We’ve always had some really tough battles. At the biggest of events. And really happy we could win today.”
This isn’t their first rodeo, either. This marks Satwik and Chirag’s second medal at this prestigious event, building on their 2022 bronze. This consistent excellence has extended India’s impressive streak of podium finishes at every edition since Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s groundbreaking bronze in 2011.
The Asian Games champions are now set to face the 11th seeds, Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China. When asked if the Chinese pair would be considered underdogs, Satwik was quick to dismiss the notion, stating, “Not at all. Playing semi-finals, no underdogs.” Chirag echoed this sentiment, emphasizing their focus, “Just like any other match that we played in this tournament. Take it one match at a time. They are a good, formidable pair. We played against them before. Really looking forward to tomorrow.”
Just hours before this electrifying win, India had faced disappointment with PV Sindhu’s exit in the women’s singles quarterfinals. The weight of national expectations was undoubtedly heavy on Satwik and Chirag as they stepped onto the court, especially considering their opponents had so often been the bearers of bad news for Indian fans. Chia and Soh had defeated the Indians in Singapore and China earlier this year, not to mention their Olympic heartbreaker in Paris last year. Tonight, however, the world No. 9 Indians rewrote the script with a truly dominating performance.
From the outset, Chirag was on fire, opening with a drive-serve winner. A thrilling 59-shot rally, the longest of the match, then concluded with his thunderous mid-court smash, putting India ahead 4-2. Satwik’s booming serves and the pair’s exceptional rotation led to six consecutive points, giving them a 9-3 lead. The top seeds went into the mid-game interval 11-5 ahead after Satwik executed a clever cross-lift. While Chia and Soh managed to win another marathon 49-shot rally, the Indians quickly regained control.
From 15-8, the Indian pair tightened their grip on the game. Chirag’s sharp net play combined with Satwik’s strategically clever serves kept India firmly in control. Chirag then impressively earned nine game points with a deceptive return, and they sealed the game with yet another aggressive return. After the change of ends, the Indians continued their blistering attack, carrying their momentum from the opening game. They quickly surged to a 10-5 lead, propelled by Satwik’s precise serves and Chirag’s powerful backcourt smashes. The Indians maintained a four-point advantage after Soh sent the shuttle into the net.
Satwik and Chirag’s uncanny ability to create angled returns and vary their attack made it incredibly difficult for their rivals. Soh seemed to struggle under the pressure, leaking errors as India comfortably built a 17-12 cushion. However, the Malaysians, who are bronze medallists from Tokyo, bravely clawed back into contention with a spectacular 41-shot exchange at 12-17. The Indians, showing their resilience, made it 18-14 with Chirag dazzling at the forecourt. Another lengthy rally followed at 15-19, showcasing their defensive grit, with Chirag even recovering after a slip to keep the rally alive.
Aaron then took control of the pace, and Soh finally found his rhythm. A good return, followed by Satwik’s smash into the net, allowed the Malaysians to narrow the deficit to 18-19, sending a wave of jitters through the Indian camp. The Malaysians swiftly drew parity on Aaron’s serve after Satwik miscued a return. They had impressively won 8 of the last 10 points to make a stunning comeback. In this crucial moment, Chirag stepped up at the net, killing a vital exchange to secure a match point for India. A swift drive serve from Satwik, and then it was Chirag in the backcourt, unleashing a couple of well-hit smashes. The second smash sailed wide from Aaron’s blade, and India erupted in celebration.
Satwik reflected on the intense second game, saying, “In the second game, even when we were leading, I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. We have played them many times before, and every time we have won in straight games, it has gone neck and neck.” He continued, “I just kept telling myself, ‘don’t hurry for the point. Take it one point at a time. I still believed we were in control and there was no need to panic. We had only given away a few points, and I could sense they were under pressure.'” Satwik concluded, “We just wanted to play our A game and see where it takes us. From the first match of the tournament, we have been focusing only on ourselves and not on the opponents. I’m really happy with the way we played today.” The entire nation shares their joy as this incredible duo continues to make India proud. Now, onto the semifinals! n