It was dinner time in Indonesia, and Team Satwik-and-Chirag were out to celebrate a hard-earned and most satisfying win. I had spoken to Gopi [Pullela Gopichand] earlier in the day and it was around 6:30pm that the call came. “Speak to the winners,” he said, and it was an occasion to celebrate with India’s first Super-1000 winners.
They are the best India have at the moment, and have proved time and again that they are capable of being the best in the world. From winning the Thomas Cup to winning the CWG gold, a world championship medal, the French Open Super Series and now the Indonesian Open Super 1000, Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are now one of the most-feared teams on the circuit. And if coach Mathias Boe is to be believed, they are ready for the big multi-sport events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.
During the conversation, Chirag and Satwik opened up on the win, the Olympic cycle and more.
Boria: First, let me ask you both for your first reactions on the win.
Chirag: In all our earlier matches against them, we would tend to hold ourselves back and in doing so, get a tad defensive. It was a kind of safety-first approach. It wasn’t anything mental or any such thing, and like we have told you before, it was a matter of time before we beat them. But today, we were on the attack from the word go. Not just in this match, but right through this tournament, we have kept on attacking. And in the final, we kept pushing ourselves to do so, come what may. That was the strategy and we stuck to the plan. We felt confident that if we were able to put them under pressure, they would also make mistakes. It’s a final and everyone is under pressure. If you see, we kept going till the end and never gave them a chance to come back.
The only time in the match they had a lead was early on in the first game. From there on, we were able to control the match. Even in the second game, when they took a couple of points, we did not hold ourselves back and kept going. Playing safe was never an option, for we have made this mistake in the past and they made us pay. Today we were clear we wouldn’t make the same mistake.
Satwik: I am extremely happy with the way we played. It was a new final, and the past did not matter. We were down 8-0 in the head-to-head, but I wasn’t thinking much about it. My point is that thinking about the past and the poor record wasn’t going to help us. And it was a new day and a new match. So all I thought to myself was that this was a final, and both teams were under pressure. If we played better, we would win. It was an opportunity to do something we have always wanted to do, rather than looking at it in any different way. And once we started to take control in the first game, I said to myself it was our day and we could surely go all the way.
EXCLUSIVE🚨
And they’re out for a much-deserved dinner!! 👀🍲
Thoughts on the big win! 👇
Listen to @satwiksairaj @Shettychirag04 and @PGopichand73.@ThumsUpOfficial #IndonesiaOpen2023 #IndonesiaOpenSuper1000 #SatChi pic.twitter.com/CW2ZuJiCV2
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Boria: Time and again, you both were able to come back from tough situations. Singapore was a dampener, but you have come back stronger than ever. And it was a special final. The win must give you a lot of confidence.
Satwik: I have said to you in the past, and I will say it again. I find it hard to believe we have been able to win these many tournaments. To win one of the biggest tournaments with everyone watching is something really special. And you know we always play for India. We play for the flag. For an athlete, there is nothing more special than making your country proud.
Boria: The whole country celebrated the win. Do you both enjoy the growing interest, the media glare and the fact that fans are continuously speaking about you both? I spoke to Tuhin [Mishra, of Baseline Ventures, which represents them] soon after the win, and he mentioned that many brands are looking at you both going forward.
Chirag: People do recognise us these days, and come and ask for selfies and autographs. One has to admit it feels good. You feel proud that you have been able to do something for your country. In India, people look at the big events. We always remember the big events. And here, the term big event is relative. The Asian Games or Olympics will always be more important than even a Super series 1000 in India. It is a reality, and we are conscious of it. We want to win these events for India, and do well in the Asian Games. That’s when more and more people will start following the sport, and that’s how we will improve collectively. If we see Neeraj Chopra, for example, many more have now taken to Javelin since he won the Olympic gold. That’s what we need more in our country.
Boria: With the Olympic qualification cycle on, the win helps even more.
Chirag: Yes, and the calendar is packed for the next 12 months. There is non-stop badminton, and the key is to retain fitness. If we are fit and healthy, we have the game to do well in most tournaments. As long as are able to maintain our fitness and stay focused, we are ready. On our day, we can beat anyone and we know that. The Olympic qualification is very much in our minds, and we will do all we can to make it as soon as possible. That will allow us to plan better for Paris 2024. Winning a medal in Paris for India is our ultimate dream, and we will leave no stone unturned in trying to do so.
Boria: A word on Mathias.
Chirag: His contribution is very important. He knows what it takes to win at the highest level, and knows our game very well. Under him, we have only become better over time, and his presence is a massive plus for us going into Paris.
Boria: Satwik, Gopi mentioned to me ahead of the quarter-final that you were slightly stiff. But clearly, you pulled yourself through it. How are things now?
Satwik: Fitness-wise, the year hasn’t been easy. The comeback wasn’t easy. No comeback ever is. When you are at home, not allowed to play badminton, and watching your team play in away competitions, it is very tough on you mentally. And then the All England was tough. That’s why the Swiss Open win was special. It meant we were able to play tough matches on consecutive days for close to a week, and not feel any physical discomfort. Here too, we have played tough matches all week and managed it well. We are both feeling good at the moment, and if that continues, we are confident of some really good results in the coming months. Winning medals for India is the reason we play. And we know what it means to our people back home. We will do all we can to fulfil the expectations people have from us.
Also Read: Satwik-Chirag Set About Fulfilling Gopichand’s Prophecy