Nagoya, Sep 25: In an unfortunate turn of events, defending Asian Games gold medalists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have crashed out of the opening round of the men’s doubles here on Friday.
The fourth-seeded Indian pair were among the top medal contenders for India in the continental championships, having already won the medal at the continental level in Hangzhou in 2023. However, this time they were stunned by Thailand’s Pakkapan Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun, losing 21-12, 19-21, 14-21 in a contest that lasted one hour and eight minutes.
The Thai pair, ranked 36 in the BWF rankings, made a stunning comeback in the second and third sets and came back from behind to force a decider against a much higher-ranked player of, Satwik-Chirag (who are ranked 5).
Poor Finish After A Promising Start
Satwik-Chirag threw away the momentum after an impressive start in the first game, where it looked like the Indian pair were looking to control the tempo. The opening game ended in favour of India, 21-12 in 20 minutes.
However, the Thai pair gradually found their footing and turned the match in their favour. The Thai duo maintained the pressure in the second game and narrowly won 21-19 after 24 minutes, forcing the contest into a decider.
Satwik and Chirag struggled to regain the momentum they had shown earlier. Teeraratsakul and Sukphun quickly seized control of the third game, wrapping it up 21-14 in just 19 minutes to complete a stunning upset.
The Indian pair’s failure to capitalise on their early advantage ultimately proved costly, as the Thai shuttlers remained composed in the crucial stages to secure a memorable victory.
The first-round exit marks a disappointing beginning to India’s individual badminton campaign, particularly after the men’s team had claimed a bronze medal in the team event.
Satwik and Chirag, seeded fourth in the men’s doubles draw, had been among India’s leading medal contenders following their gold-medal triumph at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou. However, their campaign came to an abrupt end in the opening round, leaving India without one of its strongest medal prospects in the men’s doubles competition.