Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty didn’t look like they would be good doubles partners when they first started playing together. They both played an aggressive game and liked to stay near the back of the court. But India’s coach Tan Kim Her decided to pair them up in 2015 and it turned out to be a great decision. They have been successful ever since.
In 2022, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had a remarkable year. They won two world tour titles—the Indian Open and the French Open—something no other men’s doubles shuttle players from India had ever achieved in the past. Moreover, they also bagged gold at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) and bronze at the World Championships. Their success led them to a career best of World Number 5. Aside from the individual accomplishments, these two talented players were part of the exciting Thomas Cup winning team that made history by clinching India’s first title despite being multiple match-points down in their respective matches. It was certainly an incredible year for Rankireddy and Shetty who have set a new standard for excellence for future generations of male shuttlers from India.
After four years of hard work, their determination and intense practice sessions have paid off. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s dream of winning the prestigious Thomas Cup, the CWG and the Medal at World Championships is now within reach. As a doubles player, which is less popular than singles in India, they faced a lot of difficulty initially but reached new heights when they learned to communicate in each other’s language while also winning battles on court. Spending time together off the court was critical for them to build understanding during matches because as Rankireddy humorously stated “He spoke in Hindi and I spoke in Telugu”. Now everything is about to culminate come 2022 with their joint effort making waves in the badminton world.
Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have established a strong bond and developed an effective doubles strategy in the badminton court, thanks in part to their shared love of movies. When they began to share hotel rooms for tournaments, the two players—who both love crime thrillers but watch different languages—built a strong connection that has allowed them to read each other during matches. Their strategic moves have earned acclaim from Aparna Popat, nine-time national champion, who observes how their different strengths balance one another out: rankireddy has sharpened their defence, while Shetty has developed a net game to round out his back-of-court play.
Rankireddy Shetty hails from a sporting family of Andhra Pradesh, taking up badminton in the footsteps of his father. His early training was under the tutelage of Dronacharya coach P Gopichand and other seasoned coaches. One such coach used to share anecdotes about the great Prakash Padukone, who rose to success with limited resources and achieved numerous titles, most notably an All-England win in 1980. Rankireddy was greatly inspired by Padukone’s example, taking on a determined spirit to compete on his own journey in the sport.
