"Olympics next?";"It's Satchi's year" - Fans react as Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty win Gold at Asian Games 2023
In a historic men’s doubles final at the 19th Asian Games, the “brothers of destruction" - the Indian duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, etched their names in the history books of Indian badminton by clinching the gold medal. The pair's mesmerizing performance left fans in awe as they outplayed South Korea's Solgyu Choi and Kim Wonho in the gold medal match on October 7.
Shetty and Rankireddy's final victory and their incredible performance at the Asian Games left the audience in awe. Fans took to social media after the victory to express their excitement and admiration for the Indian duo’s performance.
Here's how fans reacted to Satwik and Chirag’s historic win:
A closer look at the result
The first set of the final witnessed a spectacular exchange of powerful smashes from both sides and at the first break, there was nothing to separate the two pairs, with the Koreans narrowly leading 11-9.
However, after the break, the Koreans took the lead twice, but the Indian pair displayed remarkable resilience by fighting back both times. The second time around, the Indian shuttlers took the lead and went on to seal the game 21-18.
Heading into the second set, the Indian duo continued their momentum from the first game and took an early 11-7 lead. Their incredible communication on the court played to their advantage, as they made some crucial line judgments that helped them win a few points.
The Indians kept their calm and continued to demonstrate their exceptional skills, ultimately winning the second set 21-16, securing a historic victory for themselves and the nation.
The Asian Games gold adds to the prestigious tally of the Indian pair's illustrious collection. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty already have a world championship bronze, a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, and a coveted gold at the Thomas Cup.
With this triumph, Satwik and Chirag are set to ascend to the top of the men's doubles world rankings when they are updated next week. As fans across the globe celebrate this historic victory, the Indian shuttlers have undoubtedly become an inspiration for aspiring badminton players in the country.