Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a devastating loss in the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles event at the Paris Olympics on Thursday. the world number 3 pair of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia defeated the Indian duo 21-13, 14-21, 16-21 in a thrilling 64-minute encounter.
The loss marked the end of the Olympic journey for Satwik and Chirag, who were strong contenders for a gold medal in Tokyo. The Indian pair, who had won the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games titles, were unable to maintain their momentum after winning the first game convincingly.
In the opening game, Satwik and Chirag came out strong, nearly overwhelming the Malaysians with their aggressive play. However, Chia and Soh adapted their strategy, shifting to a flat, fast-paced game that blunted the Indian’s attack. A few defensive lapses from the Indians also proved costly.
The Malaysians fought back valiantly in the second game, narrowly defeating the Indians 11-10 at the mid-game interval before quickly extending their lead to 16-12. Each team made a service error, resulting in a score of 17-14 in favor of the Malaysians. Chia and Soh then further increased their lead to 21-14, equalizing the match 1-1 and pushing it into the deciding game.
In the final game, Satwik and Chirag got off to a slow start, trailing 2-4 but soon made it 5-5 as it became evident that the quarterfinal match hurtled towards a tense finish. The Indians, though scratchy, held their nerves to go into the final mid-game interval, 11-9.
After the break, both teams were evenly matched, but the Malaysians surged ahead when it counted and won the last game 21-16. The loss was a heartbreaking blow to the Indian pair’s medal aspirations, as they had entered the tournament as strong contenders for gold.
Satwik and Chirag had previously triumphed at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, making their early exit from the Paris Games even more disappointing. The duo had also secured three consecutive victories against the Malaysians in their last three encounters, adding to their confidence heading into the match.
The Indians entered the contest with an impressive run this year, with four final appearances and two titles at the French Open and Thailand Open. Carrying the hopes of a billion people, Satwik and Chirag, the former no 1 pair, came out strong in the opening game, nearly overwhelming the Malaysians with their aggressive play.
The Malaysian duo will face a formidable challenge in their upcoming match against the top-seeded pair, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China, who currently hold the world number one ranking. It was always been an intense match between the Indians and Malaysians, with both countries chasing their respective maiden badminton gold medal at the Olympics.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Satwik and Chirag can hold their head high, knowing that they gave it their all on the biggest stage. The duo has proven their mettle on the international stage, winning multiple titles and establishing themselves as one of the best men’s doubles pairs in the world.
As the Indian badminton team looks ahead to future tournaments, the focus will be on rebuilding and preparing for the next Olympic cycle. With young talents like Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy emerging, the future of Indian badminton looks bright.
In the end, the loss of Satwik and Chirag is a reminder that the Olympics is a ruthless stage, where even the best can falter. However, their journey to the quarterfinals and their performances throughout the year have shown that they have what it takes to compete at the highest levels. With continued hard work and dedications, they can bounce back stronger and aim for glory at the next Olympics.