The dynamic duo from India, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, showed their incredible badminton skills to win the men’s doubles title at the Thailand Open 2024 on Sunday. They defeated the Chinese pair of Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in just 45 minutes with a score of 21-15, 21-15.
The victory at the Thailand Open follows a series of setbacks in the All England Open and Thomas Cup tournaments. Chirag and Satwiksairaj faced disappointment in the All England Open, exiting in the second round after a defeat to former champions Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana of Indonesia in straight sets, scoring 16-21, 15-21.
Their journey in the Thomas Cup also ended disappointingly with India’s quarterfinal exit, losing 3-1 to China. In a tense match against Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China, Chirag and Satwiksairaj endured a close three-game battle, with scores of 15-21, 21-11, 12-21.
However, despite these setbacks, fondly known as Sat-Chi by their supporters, they put the past losses behind them and displayed championship-level performance in the Thailand Open final.
Competing in their fourth final this year, the top-seeded duo of Chirag and Satwiksairaj entered the summit clash as favourites and maintained their dominance throughout the match. Despite a brief setback, where they conceded a lead after an initial 4-1 advantage in the first game, they remained resilient and went into the mid-game interval with a narrow one-point lead of 11-10.
Following the break, the Indian players surged back with determination, swiftly gaining five game points. They secured the first game within 20 minutes, asserting their dominance in the final.
In contrast to their strategy in the first game, Satwiksairaj and Chirag maintained relentless pressure in the second, establishing a commanding five-point lead (11-6) as they entered the mid-game interval. Despite a spirited fightback from the Chinese duo, narrowing the score to 15-16, the Indian pair mounted a powerful comeback, ultimately clinching the game in impressive fashion.
