Badminton
Tokyo Olympics: Satwik-Chirag play a spirited match to win their opening Group A clash, defeating the third seeds
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty stun the world with their debut group match at the Tokyo Olympics, beating to the World No. 3 from Chinese Taipei.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Source: Times of India)
Placed in the most difficult draw, the World No. 10 badminton pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty pulled off a stunner to shock the third seeded Chinese Taipei pair of Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin in the Men's Doubles opening Group A clash.
After a nail-biting affair, the young Indian pair looked inspired and went on to win, 2 games to 1, in their opening match. In what was actually a battle of nerves, Satwik-Chirag prevailed with a resounding win, 16-21, 21-16, 25-27 in a gripping 69 minutes affair.
Nobody said it would be easy but there is no underestimating the prowess of Satwik-Chirag, who have been silver medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It was an uphill battle right from the get go, with tense points and long rallies locked in with powerful smashes every now and then.
However, clearly having gained under the guidance of their Danish coach, Mathias Boe, Satwik-Chirag played a wonderful, strategic game to massively upset the World No. 3 pair who are currently the best doubles team of the season.
Having won 3 titles on the trot in January - the Yonex Thailand Open, the Toyota Thailand Open and the 2020 World Tour Finals, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin were formidable from the get-go.
But Satwik-Chirag didn't let the Taipei pair gain full control of the match and kept them on their feet. Eventually, the Indian pair triumphed - a huge victory to give themselves a pat on the back for and their medal chances at the Tokyo Olympics remain afloat.
