Asian Games: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty pair end 41-year medal wait, reach SFs

HANGZHOU: The Indian men's doubles badminton pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the semifinal, winning 21-7, 21-9 against Singapore's Nge Joo Jie and Prajogo Johann at the 19th Asain Games on Thursday.

Satwik and Chirag's power, accuracy and guile on the court made light work of the Singaporean pair in both games.

Satwik and Chirag brutalised Nge and Johann to win easily 21-7, 21-9 in 31 minutes. Satwik and Chirag assured India of a historic men's doubles medal at the Asian Games by winning their match in the quarterfinals.

The world number three pair ended India's 41-year men's doubles medal drought at the Asiad. Leroy D'Sa and Pradeep Gandhe were the last Indian athletes to bring home a medal. At the Asian Games in Delhi in 1982, they took home a bronze medal.

In the opening game against Nge and Johann, Satwik and Chirag burst through the Singaporeans' defence to take an 11-3 lead. Despite playing strong defence, Nge and Johann had to give up a 13-4 advantage due to the Indians' smash fest.

Nge has displayed a rare flash of skill by hitting a flat smash, to which Satwik has no choice but to detect its strength, despite Satwik and Chirag increasing their advantage to 18-6.

In the end, the Indians prevailed 21-7 thanks to Satwik's flat smash that struck Johann in the body. Satwik-Chirag will face Malaysia's Aaron Chia/Sooh Wooi Yik in a semifinal on Friday.

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