'Thailand Open has been special tournament,' says Satwiksairaj Rankireddy after clinching second title in Bangkok with partner Chirag Shetty

By Ajay Gandhar

Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has covered almost every Olympic sport, but Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field have his heart.

Published at :May 19, 2024 at 9:34 PM

Modified at :May 19, 2024 at 9:34 PM

'Thailand Open has been special tournament,' says Satwiksairaj Rankireddy after clinching second title in Bangkok with partner Chirag Shetty

(Courtesy : Badminton Photo/BAI)

The Indian duo won their second Thailand Open title.

India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched the Thailand Open Super 500 men’s doubles title with a commanding straight games victory in the final here on Sunday.

The world No. #3 pair, who had won their first Thailand Open crown in 2019, showed exemplary form throughout the tournament, not dropping a single game en route to laying their hands on the coveted trophy once again.

ALSO READ: Thailand Open 2024: Satwik-Chirag clinch second title of 2024 with straight games win over Chinese pair

In the summit clash at the Nimibutr Stadium, Satwik-Chirag outclassed China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi 21-15, 21-15 in just 46 minutes, reinforcing their dominance over the field.

The Indian duo made a strong start, surging to a 5-1 lead before their Chinese opponents fought back to narrow the deficit. However, Satwiksairaj and Chirag regained control with their aggressive play, winning nine of the next 11 points to pocket the opening game.

In the second game, the Indians were firmly in the driver’s seat, not allowing their opponents any chance to stage a comeback. They closed out the contest with a five-point burst to trigger their trademark celebrations.

“We knew that we cannot relax even for a single point against our opponents as they fight till the end. But we played our best game of the tournament today and controlled the situation very well,” Satwiksairaj said after the match.

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“Thailand Open has been a special tournament for us as we won our first Super 500 crown here and have won many more tournaments thereafter. We are hoping that this victory will start another winning run for us,” Satwik further added

The Thailand Open victory will provide a major boost to the duo ahead of the Paris Olympics next year, having endured a couple of lean tournaments recently. They made early exits at the All England Championships and Asia Championships, while their Thomas Cup campaign was also far from fruitful.

“Hopefully, we win the gold medal in the Olympics,” Satwiksairaj said, expressing their ultimate ambition. “Not just us, but all athletes want to win the coveted gold.”

Chirag believes their success will inspire the next generation of Indian shuttlers, “Our recent victories will inspire the young shuttlers in India and give them the belief that they can defeat the world’s top players, just like we have been doing for the past couple of years,” Chirag said.

Satwik-Chirag have now reached four finals this season, having finished runners-up at the Malaysia Super 1000 and India Super 750 before claiming the French Super 750 in March.

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Ajay Gandhar

Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has expertise across a wide range of Olympic sports. While his coverage spans the Olympic spectrum, he is passionate about Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field. Beyond his primary focus areas, Ajay is also an avid kabaddi enthusiast and closely follows the sport.