Badminton

In 2021, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a stunning debut at the Tokyo Olympics, upsetting eventual gold medalists Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin. Despite their initial success, a loss in their second match left their Olympic hopes hanging in the balance. They eventually recovered to win their final group game, but it wasn't enough to advance to the quarterfinals. The heartbreak left the pair and their coach, Mathias Boe, in tears.Three years later, Satwik and Chirag have emerged as heavyweights in men's doubles, a highly competitive category. Under Boe's guidance, they have won titles and set records, including a World Championships bronze, an Asian Games gold, an Asian Championships title, and a rise to the top of the world rankings. They also played a crucial role in India's historic Thomas Cup victory.As they prepare for the Paris Olympics, Satwik and Chirag are considered title contenders. Former India shuttler Parupalli Kashyap believes they have a strong chance of winning India's first-ever badminton gold at the Games. They are placed in Group C, with their only immediate threat being world no. 7 Fajar Alfian / Muhammad Rian Ardianto. However, Kashyap identifies world no. 1 Liang Weikeng / Wang Chang and the South Korean duo of Kang Min-hyuk / Seo Seung-jae as their toughest competitors.Kashyap also highlights the potential of HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen in the men's singles category. Prannoy is a multiple super series winner and World Championships medalist, while Sen has shown his ability to rise to the occasion in big matches. Kashyap believes both players have the potential to create upsets and progress in the tournament.

World No. 1 Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the Singapore Open Super 750 tournament on Tuesday. The top-seeded pair, who were among the favorites for the gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics, fell to Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard in a closely contested match.Despite their impressive victory at the Thailand Open Super 500 earlier this month, Satwik and Chirag struggled to find their rhythm against the Danish duo. The match went down to the wire, with both pairs exchanging thrilling rallies. However, Lundgaard and Vestergaard ultimately prevailed, winning 20-22, 18-21 in a 47-minute encounter.The defeat marked a disappointing start for India at the Singapore Open. Aakarshu Kashyap, ranked 41st in the world, was outplayed by Thailand's Pornpicha Choeikeewong in the women's singles competition, losing 7-21, 15-21. Priyanshu Rajawat also faced a tough challenge in the men's singles, narrowly losing 21-23, 19-21 to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu.In the women's doubles, the Indian pair of Rutuparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda fought valiantly but ultimately fell short against Chinese Taipei's Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun, losing 12-21, 21-12, 13-21. Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh also suffered a defeat in the mixed doubles, losing 8-21, 17-21 to Hong Kong's Lee CHun Hei Reginald and Ng Tsz Yau.Despite the setbacks, India's top shuttlers, including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and HS Prannoy, will begin their campaigns on Wednesday. They will be hoping to put up a strong performance and bring home some medals for India.

India's top men's doubles badminton pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have stormed into the final of the Thailand Open Super 500 tournament in Bangkok. The duo cruised to a comfortable straight-game victory over Lu Ming-Che and Tang Kai-Wei of Chinese Taipei in the semifinals on Saturday.Satwik and Chirag, who won the Thailand Open title in 2019, needed just 35 minutes to dispatch their world No. 80 opponents 21-11, 21-12. The Indian pair dominated the match from start to finish, showcasing their superior skill and aggression.The victory marks the fourth final appearance for Satwik and Chirag in the BWF World Tour this season. They had previously finished runners-up at the Malaysia Super 1000 and India Super 750 before claiming the French Super 750 in March.In the final on Sunday, the world number three Indian duo will face the Chinese pair of Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi, who defeated Kim Gi Jung and Kim Sa Rang of South Korea in the other semifinal.Satwik and Chirag have had a mixed season so far, with some disappointing results in recent tournaments. However, their appearance in the Thailand Open final will provide a much-needed boost ahead of the Paris Olympics.The Indian pair's success in Thailand is a testament to their hard work and dedication. They have consistently performed at a high level and are now one of the top doubles teams in the world.

Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their impressive form at the Thailand Open, securing a spot in the semifinals of the men's doubles event. The world No. 3 duo cruised to a 21-7, 21-14 victory over Malaysians Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap in the quarterfinals. They will now face Chinese Taipei's Lu Ming-Che and Tang Kai-Wei in the last four.In the women's doubles, Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa also advanced to the semifinals, but their path was more challenging. They battled for one hour and 16 minutes to overcome the sixth-seeded South Korean pair of Lee Yu Lim and Shen Seung Chan, winning 21-15, 21-23, 21-19. The Indians will face top seeds Thai shuttlers Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in the semifinals.However, the tournament came to an end for young Indian shuttler Meiraba Luwang Maisnam. The promising player was defeated 12-21, 5-21 by fourth seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.The Indian duo of Satwik and Chirag have been in excellent form this season, winning the India Open and reaching the semifinals of the All England Open. They will be aiming to continue their winning streak and secure a podium finish in Bangkok. Crasto and Ponnappa, on the other hand, have shown great resilience and determination to reach the semifinals. They will be hoping to upset the top seeds and make it to the final.