Badminton Asia Championships 2023: Satwik-Chirag becomes first Indian doubles pair to reach BAC Final
The pair are also the first Indians to reach the summit clash in the tournament since 1965.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty created history by becoming the first Indian doubles pair to reach the finals of the Badminton Asia Championships 2023. The WR 6 defeated Tokyo Olympic gold medallists pair Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin in the semi-finals. Having won the first game 21-18, Satwik-Chirag were trailing by a point in the second game (13-14) before Wang suffered an injury and retired hurt. The match was eventually halted as Wang was unable to continue. Satwik-Chirag will now face Malaysian pair ONG Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi in the final.
The match was balanced through both games. While the Indian pair relied on smashes, the Chinese Taipei pair were dependent on placements.
Before heading into the semi-finals, the head-to-head was tied (1-1). The Indian pair defeated the Chinese Taipei duo in the group stages of the Tokyo Olympics, however, Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin went on to win the gold medal. The Chinese Taipei pair in return defeated Satwik/Chirag in the group stages of the Thomas Cup last year and India went to script history by winning the Thomas Cup for the first time.
Badminton Asia Championships 2023 Semi-Final Highlights: Satwik-Chirag vs Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin
Satwik-Chirag, the bronze medallist at World Championship 2022, defeated the former WR 1 Indonesian pair Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in the quarter-finals convincingly at the Badminton Asia Championships 2023. They are also yet to drop a game and have performed to the best of their abilities.
The Indian pair are set to take on the WR 8 Malaysian pair Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in the final. The Malaysian duo beat fourth-seed Japanese combo Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi in the first men's doubles semi-final of the day.
Until this edition, Dipu Ghosh and Raman Ghosh were the only Indian men’s doubles pair to medal at the Badminton Asia Championships (bronze medal in 1971). Satwik and Chirag have now gone a step forward by reaching the final and can create history by winning the gold medal on April 30 (Sunday).
Satwik-Chirag's journey to Badminton Asia Championships 2023 final
Round 1 - defeats Tan Kiang Meng/Tan Wee Kiong (21-14, 21-17)
Round 2 - defeats Jin Yong/Na Sung Seung (21-13, 21-11)
Quarter-Finals - defeats Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (21-11, 21-12)
Semi-Finals - defeats Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin (21-18, 13-14) retired
Final - vs Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi
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