“I learned the smash from volleyball" - Paris Olympics bound Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are set to represent India at the Paris Olympics 2024. The bronze medalist duo from the World Championship in Tokyo, and the 2022 Asian Games gold medallists, are also the first Indian men's doubles pair to be ranked world No. 1.
The duo had a conversation with former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik on JioCinema's 'Get Set Gold', where they talked about the secrets to their game, the language barrier and their common love for South Indian music.
Satwiksairaj holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest smash with a 565km/hr hit. Elaborating on his technique behind the smash and his inspiration, he said:
“I learned the smash from volleyball, how players jump and smash. It looks like a heroic movement and that is how I started learning my jump when I was young. Nobody taught me this and I think the smash has achieved success somehow. I try taking a peripheral view to subconsciously sense where the opponents are standing. Earlier, I used to play a lot with angles and hit the line, but now I try hitting towards the opponent's body."
The duo also talked about the nuances of playing a doubles game and how defense was as important a part of it as the attack. Chirag Shetty said:
“When we talk about doubles, the game is not just about power. The game is a lot more about the defence, the net game, on how to get the lift right. Defence is another important part of the game. There are a lot of aspects when you think about doubles, and it is not just about power."
How Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty became the world No. 1 pair
Further in the conversation, Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty talked about their early, tough days, and how they overcame challenges to become the world No. 1 ranked pair.
“Earlier, I used to feel burdened, it felt like someone was purposely making me play with him and it was against our will. We did not speak the same language, which created many barriers. I used to speak in Hindi, while Satwik was more familiar with Telugu. The then coach, Kim Tan, said that he felt that we would make a good pair as we had a good attack. He felt we could make it to the Top 20. This conversation made us feel less burdened and we felt like partnering with each other willingly," said Shetty.
The Indian duo are strong contenders to finish on the podium at the Paris Olympics 2024. They won a gold medal each at the 2022 Asian Games and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.