India’s star badminton duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have had their fair share of ups and downs in the recent past. From a Paris Olympics heartbreak to being awarded the Khel Ratna to battling with injuries and now eyeing a comeback. Amidst the uncertainties and daily struggles, the two have supported each other, stating that the ‘fire is still alive’. In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, India’s most loved, Sat-Chi have opened up on their journey ahead, what kept them going in the hard times and the path to getting back to court.
When you look back at where you started, the early days of playing together, struggling for recognition, and now standing as Khel Ratna awardees, how do you reflect on this journey? Did you ever imagine it would unfold like this?
Satwik: When we started, we hadn’t thought about all these things. It wasn’t easy starting together. But if you look back, it feels really great to achieve Khel Ratna award, and so many other awards. The way we’ve played the past few years has been really good. We got the award, so we feel happy.
Chirag: The journey we’ve had over the past almost 10 years of our partnership, we’ve had our fair share of ups and downs. And to start off from where we did and to become a world number one, to achieve the Khel Ratna finally, it’s been a very fulfilling journey. But having said that, It’s the highest sporting honour. For us it’s one of the most prestigious awards we’ve won so far. It only boosts us to get even better wins in the future. Although right now we are not going through the best phase of our careers, I think we know for a fact that we will bounce back.
Satwik, going back a few months, the Paris Olympics ended in heartbreak, and it’s been one thing after another emotionally and mentally. What was going through your minds and how were you guys supporting each other through all of this?
Satwik: It was quite heart-breaking. It took us time to get back on court, especially for me. I was injured. I was playing with injuries before the Olympics as well. So I wanted to settle down and start fresh. After the Olympics, I was not mentally in a place to get back to action so quickly. And physically also I was struggling. It took us a lot of time. Then I couldn’t figure out what injury it was, like how severe it was. I was having back issues back then. But luckily, Chirag supported me, he was there for me all the time.
He was talking to all the doctors and he was doing all this stuff on behalf of me. Kudos to him because he was there for me and encouraged me. Then luckily, we got back on track with the China Open. We played in the semis. Then we started the year well. We played two semifinals, the India Open and Malaysia Open. So, it was quite tough after the Olympics. But that’s how it is. You need to cope with all those things.
Chirag, it’s clear that injuries have been persistent. You had to withdraw from a couple of tournaments. Can you walk us through how you’ve coped with the pain and where the injury stands right now?
Chirag: It’s obviously quite tough. I’ve had a back issue for almost eight, nine years now. But I’ve been able to handle it over the past many years. Never really had to withdraw from a tournament. But this time, when it happened at the All England, it was quite severe. I had an annular tear. So I had to take it easy. We were expecting to come back at the Sudirman Cup, but the pain hadn’t subsided. So the doctors and the physios had asked me to go slower and not rush into action. There was a possibility of the injury aggravating.
So, then, we had to take a step back. It is tough because I am someone who doesn’t like to rest as much. And for me to just sit at home and do nothing, plus with a back injury where you can’t really do a lot of stuff where you can’t bend or go out as much, it was definitely daunting. But I think as an athlete, you have to be ready to live those days as well. If you are ready to sacrifice and live through these tough days, I think you will definitely be able to live through the most difficult times of your career. The fire in me is only burning brighter since the past two months. And I am eagerly waiting to return to court.
You also mentioned something about Shawshank Redemption, Can you tell us about that more? And how does that kind of mindset help you stay patient during all of this?
Chirag: I’m a bit restless by nature. I feel like if I’m just resting, I’m not being productive or spending the day in the right way. That’s why watching The Shawshank Redemption, one of my favorite movies, really helped. There’s a line in it that says, ‘Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.’ That line stayed with me throughout the rehab and recovery phase. Every day, a little bit of pressure, a little bit of effort, and eventually he broke free. I think it’s the same for us. You have to do small things consistently every day, and over time, you’ll see the results. That’s one of the most important lessons I took from the movie, and it really stuck with me during this period.
Satwik, what are your short-term and long-term goals from here on? How are you envisioning this partnership evolving and how are you planning to come back to full strength?
Satwik: It’s just a matter of time. It’s pretty clear as well. We just want to get back on court. There’s no goals for us. We want to get back 100% fitness. And we want to play some good badminton for a few months without any breaks. So we have been on and off, on and off, on and off for almost one year. After the Olympics, we have been playing with a few injuries here and there. But I think we are on the right track now. It’s just a matter of time. Once we get back on court, I think we know what we can do. We can recall all our memories, how we used to play. But right now, our goal is to get back to fitness and play some good badminton.
You guys have won almost everything. Is the Olympic podium the ultimate endpoint for you both? Or is it just another step in the longer journey?
Chirag: I think it’s both, honestly. As an athlete, everyone dreams of winning an Olympic medal, that’s the ultimate goal. And it’s the same for us. But at the same time, I genuinely enjoy the process. When we focus on that, the wins tend to follow. Like Satwik said, right now our priority is just to get back on court. We know that if we’re fit and healthy, it’s only a matter of time before we hit our stride again. So for me, it’s about getting fit, getting back out there, and enjoying every moment on court. Eventually, the results will take care of themselves. So yes, the Olympics is the ultimate goal, but there are important steps along the way, and we’re looking forward to winning other major tournaments too.