Rankireddy & Shetty: Strategy Evolution Fuels Success

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) - India's premier men's doubles badminton duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, attribute their recent winning streak to evolving their playing strategies and enhancing their service variations over the past 16 months. Recent triumphs have been a testament to their resilience, as they weathered injuries and illness during the last year-and-a-half, yet emerged to claim a bronze medal at the World Championships in Paris. They also impressed by reaching the finals at the Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750 tournaments.

Currently ranked No.7 globally, the nine-time BWF World Tour champions aim to capture their tenth title, crediting a "side-by-side" playing strategy for their success. Chirag explained, "We have adopted the side-by-side formation more frequently, especially post-service, to gain better control." This approach was suggested by their Malaysian coach, Tan Kim Her, and has proven effective, particularly in recent competitions. Chirag added that refining service variations, like his new flat serve, has become crucial in their fast-paced game.

Over the past 16 challenging months, the duo faced hurdles, with Satwik suffering a shoulder injury and Chirag dealing with fitness challenges. Despite these setbacks, their quick rebound from a ranking of 27 to the top-8 highlights their determination and capability. Their bronze at the World Championships, their second after 2022, served as a pivotal growth moment.

"Winning against tough competitors boosted our confidence," Chirag noted, referring to their robust performance at recent tournaments in Hong Kong and China, even though they narrowly missed top honors. Their attacking style remains formidable, but as Satwik acknowledged, further honing their defense is essential. "Improving our defense during pressure moments could elevate us," he said, comparing their style with the composed Koreans.

Much of their evolution and growth can be credited to coach Tan Kim Her, who has been instrumental in their journey. "The camaraderie with him is special," Satwik mentioned, sharing a light-hearted anecdote on how their success motivated their coach to post proud moments with them. Following a brief break to celebrate Dussehra and relax with family, the pair is poised to return to training with renewed vigor, eyeing upcoming challenges at the French Open and Denmark Open. Chirag concluded with a positive outlook: "The confidence gained at the Worlds sets us on track - we just need to stick to our strategies and be ready for the next tournaments."

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