Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have already defeated the top Chinese, Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang at the World Championship. They also locked in a medal – their second after the 2022 bronze. However, after the Olympics disappointment, the bigger target is gold, though they are far too wisened to leap ahead of the immediate match at hand.
To secure a spot in the final, first step to gold or silver, they must tackle the only Chinese left in the fray. With China’s propensity to phase out shuttlers and prop up new ones after every Olympics, Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi, 25 and 22, are considered the next contenders.
So, even if the Indians have beaten them in that one meeting at Thailand last year, and the Chinese are ranked No 11 they are reluctant to go in as favourites. Plenty of dreams have vamoozed in the past.
BWF asked them if they saw the Chinese as underdogs. “Yang-Yi are not underdogs at all (Chirag laughed, that stoic laugh that comes after that one folly of losing after underestimating opponents). “In semifinals, no underdogs,” reiterated Satwik.
Chirag kept an even tone and temperament. “We will approach it just like any other match we played. One match at a time. They are a good formidable pair, we’ve played against them before.,” he told BWF.
Having wrapped up the quarter to secure India’s non stop streak at Worlds medals since 2011, the duo wanted to calm down, before battle day again. The French stayed put to watch Indians, a full house till 11 pm Paris time. The Indians though have kept their expectations tempered. “From first match we are focusing on ourselves. It’s obviously very late. We go back, eat dinner, relax,” Satwik told BWF. “Just not focus so much on badminton. Focus on something else maybe. Maybe watch a movie. Then prepare. Tomorrow when we wake up, then we start our routine. We’ll talk to our coaches, what worked really well. What more we should do,” he should say.
The BWF interviewer was surprised, not tuned into how Indians chill – with movies. “While having dinner, we watch something. It’s our habit. So…” Satwik explained.
Story continues below this ad
Sealing the medal had put to rest deep hurt of the past year, and Chirag in zen mode said, “I’m feeling really good, it was a rematch of sorts from the Olympics. We finally got some redemption. Same court, same arena, a year back exactly, Olympics and now Worlds. It’s always a pleasure playing against them (Chia-Soh). We’ve always had some tough battles. At the biggest of events,” Chirag told BWF.
Getting a straight sets win had been a test of patience, due to former scars. “When in second game we were leading, I thought for sure, we won’t be able to win easily. They’ll come back stronger for sure. For they have many times,” Satwik said. “When we won deciding games it was close games, neck to neck. So I was telling myself don’t hurry for the point. Play, play, play, one point, one point. 19-all. I still had belief we are in control. No need to panic because we only gave few points and they were under pressure. I sensed that. So just like before. We just want to play A game and see where we end up. That’s what we are doing from first match, just focusing on ourselves. Not on opponents,” he added.
