Asian Games 2023 Badminton Results Day 14: Chirag-Satwik duo win historic gold medal

In the men’s doubles final on Saturday at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Indian badminton history was rewritten as the dynamic duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured a historic gold medal.

The Indian doubles pair got the better of South Korea's Solgyu Choi and Kim Wonho in a thrilling gold medal match that lasted 57 minutes.

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A closer look at the results

The first game was an intense battle with both pairs neck and neck right till the break, where the Koreans held a slight advantage at 11-9. However, the Indians showed incredible resilience and managed to fight back each time the Koreans took the lead in the second half of the game, eventually winning it 21-18.

The first game also saw powerful smashes and flat shots from both sides. This was seen right through the match, and this speed and intensity kept fans entertained till the very end.

The second game started with some very long rallies, but the Indians, riding high on the momentum from the first game, took an early 11-7 lead. The Indian pair continued this style of play for the rest of the game and closed it out 21-16.

The highlight of the match was Chirag Shetty's variations in service and his dominance at the net. On the other hand, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy played some beautifully placed, delicate shots disguised with his powerful smashes. This change in him is something that has been noticed since Mathias Boe took over as their coach.

With this historic victory, the Indian shuttlers will sit at the top of the men’s doubles world rankings when they are updated next week. The Asian Games gold medal adds to the two medals the badminton contingent has already won at the 19th edition of the games, taking the total tally to three: a gold, a silver and a bronze.

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