Satwik-Chirag's achievements in 2023

They became the first Indian pair to win gold at Asian Championships.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have emerged as a dominant pair in the sport of badminton this season. Their remarkable performances has not only solidified their position in the second rank in the BWF rankings, but also garnered widespread acclaim. Their unwavering dedication and exceptional skills have propelled them to the forefront of the sport.

They have amassed a total of three titles at the BWF World Tour. Additionally, they achieved top finishes at Hangzhou Asian Games and Badminton Asia Championship this year. Let us delve into a comprehensive look of the accomplishments attained by Satwik-Chirag in the year 2023.

Swiss Open – Winner

Swiss Open is a Super 300 badminton event that is held in Switzerland. The duo Satwik and Chirag won the title over there by defeating Ren Xiangyu and Tang Qiang of China by 21-19, 24-22. This was their first BWF World Tour title this year. 

Indonesia Open – Winner

The former world no.1 emerged victorious in the Indonesia Open Super 1000 – one of the most prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour. This remarkable achievement marked a historic moment for Indian badminton as they became the first Indians to triumph at this elite level, and it was their inaugural Super 1000 final. 

In the final match, they overcame former world champions from Malaysia Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik with a commanding score of 21-17, 21-18. 

Korea Open – Winner

Their subsequent victory at the BWF World Tour took place at the Korea Open, a Super 500 event. They emerged triumphant after a thrilling match against the Indonesian duo of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto, who were formerly ranked as the world’s number one pair. The challenging encounter concluded with a final score of 17-21, 21-13, 21-14.

China Masters – Runner-up

Satwik-Chirag summed up the season by reaching the final of the China Masters, a Super 750 event. However, they were unfortunate to suffer a defeat against Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China by a score of 19-21, 21-18, 19-21 and settled with the runners-up position. 

Asian Championships – Gold

At the Badminton Asia Championships held in the United Arab Emirates, Satwik and Chirag emerged victorious over Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Toe Ee Yi in a thrilling match. With a scoreline of 16-21, 21-17, and 21-19, they secured the coveted gold medal at this esteemed tournament.

This marked India’s second gold medal at the Asian Badminton Championships, following Dinesh Khanna’s success in the men’s singles event back in 1965. Notably, Satwik and Chirag have achieved a significant milestone as the first Indian pair to advance to the tournament’s final and subsequently clinch the gold medal.

Asian Games – Gold

Their significant accomplishment, besides the Asian Championships and BWF World Tour titles, was the acquisition of the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023. They emerged victorious in the men’s doubles event, becoming the first Indians to clinch a gold medal in this sport at the Asian Games. Their opponents, Choi Sol-gyu and Kim Won-ho of South Korea, were defeated in straight games 21-18, 21-16.

The gold medal was followed by the Indian team securing a silver medal in the men’s team event. Despite losing the final to China’s team by a close 2-3, Satwik and Chirag achieved a remarkable victory over Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China, winning in straight games with a score of 21-15, 21-18.

WR-1 in Men’s Doubles 

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made history on October 10, 2023, by becoming the first Indian pair to achieve the prestigious world no.1 ranking in the world across all three doubles categories. 

Prior to their remarkable feat, only three other Indians, Prakash Padukone, Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth had reached the pinnacle of the rankings, but they had all accomplished this in the singles discipline. 

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