Top 10 moments in Indian badminton in 2023

Satwik-Chirag became first Indian doubles duo to reach WR-1.

Indian badminton players had an unforgettable year, marked by their exceptional performances. While a few renowned names faced setbacks, young players seized their opportunities and brought honor to the nation on the global stage.

With a gold medal at the Asian Games and some notable performances at the BWF World Tour titles, there were a number of instances where the Indian flag was raised high. Notably, the duo Satwik-Chirag had an exceptional year where they achieved numerous titles to their name. 

In this article, we will have a look at the top 10 moments in Indian badminton in 2023. 

Satwik-Chirag winning gold at Asian Games

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made history in the men’s doubles event at the Asian Games 2023 by defeating Choi Solgyu and Kim Wonho of the Republic of Korea in straight games, with scores of 21-18, 21-16. 

This remarkable achievement exemplified India’s historic accomplishment of securing its inaugural gold medal in badminton at the Asian Games. Moreover, it signified India’s return to the podium in the men’s doubles event after four decades, recalling the bronze medal obtained by Leroy D’sa and Pradeep Gandhe in 1982.

Satwik-Chirag winning the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament

In the month of June, Satwik-Chirag combined to win their first Super 1000 title. They outplayed the former world champion pair of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in two games at the Indonesia Open. 

This was also their maiden presence in the championship match of a BWF World Tour Super 1000 competition. They emerged victorious over the Malaysian duo, achieving a notable 21-17 and 21-18 scoreline.

HS Prannoy won bronze in men’s singles at Asian Games 

After a hard-fought match against Lee Zii Jia, HS Pranoy emerged victorious with a score of 16-21, 23-21, 22-20 in the quarter-final round of the Hangzhou Asian Games. However, his journey came to an end in the semi-final when he faced a defeat at the hands of China’s Li Shifeng in two games. As a result, Pranoy settled for the bronze medal at this prestigious event. 

He put an end to India’s 41-year-long anticipation for a second medal at the Games in the discipline of men’s singles. Syed Modi had previously clinched the third spot in the 1982 edition of the Asian Games.

Indian men’s team winning the silver at Asian Games 

The Indian men’s badminton team achieved an unprecedented feat by securing their first-ever silver medal at the Asian Games. In a highly intense final match held in Hangzhou, the team narrowly lost to the host nation China (2-3). 

Despite a strong start from Lakshya Sen and the men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, India was unable to maintain their lead as China staged a remarkable comeback, ultimately emerging victorious. 

HS Prannoy won the Malaysia Masters (maiden BWF World Tour title)

HS Prannoy emerged victorious by defeating Weng Hong Yang of the People’s Republic of China in a closely contested match at Malaysia Masters. Prannoy’s triumph marked a significant milestone in his career, as it was his first-ever BWF World Tour title. 

Notably, it was more than six years since Prannoy last claimed a men’s singles title, his previous victory dating back to the US Open 2017, which was then a part of the BWF Grand Prix tournament. 

Satwik-Chirag winning the Asian Championships 

At the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships held in the United Arab Emirates, Satwik and Chirag emerged victorious in a gripping encounter against Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Toe Ee Yi. With a scoreline of 16-21, 21-17 and 21-19, they clinched the highly sought-after gold medal at this prestigious tournament.

With the win, India secured its second gold medal at the Championships, building upon Dinesh Khanna’s triumph in the men’s singles event in 1965. 

Satwik-Chirag grabbing pole position in men’s doubles rankings

After achieving the remarkable feat of winning the gold medal at the Asian Games, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty ascended to the pinnacle of success by securing the coveted world no. 1 position in the BWF rankings.  This remarkable achievement distinguished them as the first doubles pair from their nation to attain the esteemed status.

Satwik’s fastest smash record

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy accomplished an extraordinary feat by establishing a new Guinness World Record for the fastest hit by a male player in badminton conducted under controlled conditions at the Yonex Tokyo Factory in Soka, Japan on April 14th 2023. 

His powerful smash achieved a remarkable speed of 565 km/h, surpassing the decade-long record set in May 2013 by Malaysian player Tan Boon Heong, who previously achieved a speed of 493 km/h with his smash.

Lakshya Sen winning Canada Open

Lakshya Sen emerged victorious in the men’s singles category at the Canada Open 2023. He defeated Li Shi Feng with a commendable score of 21-18 and 22-20. This achievement marked Lakshya’s second triumphant victory in a BWF Super 500 event. His previous notable triumph was at the India Open held in January 2022.

Tanisha Crasto-Ashwini Ponappa reach three successive final

Ashwini Ponnappa found a new partner for the women’s doubles event named Tanisha Crasto. In the year 2023, this dynamic duo has had some exceptional performances. They secured victory at Abu Dhabi Masters and prior to this won a challenger series. However, they rose to form in the fag end of the season reaching the finals of three home tournaments – Syed Modi International, Guwahati Masters and Odisha Masters.

With this, they reached career-high position of WR-24 and will end the year by progressing a few places above in the BWF rankings.

Notable Performance

Priyanshu Rajawat winning Orleans Masters

Men’s singles shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat achieved a remarkable milestone in his career by securing his inaugural World Tour title. He emerged victorious in the final of the Orleans Masters 2023 in France, defeating Magnus Johannesen of Denmark. 

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