Jakarta: India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the men’s doubles title at the Indonesia Open 2023 on Sunday, defeating Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh 21-17, 21-18 in the final. With this, the duo created history and became the first Indians to win Super 1000 badminton tournament.
The Indian duo, who are ranked seventh in the world, had never beaten the top-seeded Malaysians before, but they came out firing in the final and never looked back. They raced into a 11-4 lead in the first game and never looked back, winning it 21-17.
The second game was more closely contested, but the Indians again came out on top, winning 21-18 to seal their first ever Super 1000 title.
The win is a major breakthrough for the Indian duo, who have been steadily improving in recent years. They have now won three titles this year, including the Badminton Asia Championships in April.
Their victory in Indonesia is a major boost ahead of the World Championships in August, where they will be hoping to challenge for a medal.
In the semifinals, Satwik and Chirag defeated the Korean pair of Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae 17-21, 21-19, 21-18. They had earlier beaten the Indonesian pair of Pramudya Kusumawardana and Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan 21-19, 21-14 in the quarterfinals.
The win in Indonesia is a major achievement for Satwik and Chirag, and it is a sign that they are capable of competing at the highest level. They will be hoping to build on this success and continue to improve in the years to come.
Satwik and Chirag are known for their strong defense, and this was on display throughout the tournament. They were able to absorb a lot of pressure from their opponents and come up with big plays when it mattered most.