Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and the beauty of sport

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy celebrate their victory (World Badminton Photo)

Why do we watch sport? Why is it unique? Do we only watch sport for the end result? Is it only about winning and losing? Or is it also about the effort, the never give up attitude and the fight? Isn’t that what sport is all about and isn’t that the beauty of it?

Exactly two weeks back, I had a chance to speak to Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy as they were readying themselves for a comeback. While Chirag was being cautious and did not want to put a date to the return, he had confirmed off line that they were ready to play the Singapore Open. “The only thing is we want to be injury free. If we can play for a while without these injury concerns, we know what we are capable of doing”, is what he had said. He then went on to add that “The Olympic fire still burns and that’s not something we will give up on. In fact, won’t rest easy till we achieve the dream."

Make no mistake, they are the best we have. In what has been an underwhelming year for Indian badminton, the Singapore Open comeback of Satwik and Chirag has given the sport a ray of hope and optimism. What is more is the way they played against Goh and Izzuddin, the world’s number one pair and a team that has been in red hot form and one that had taken them down at the India Open in Delhi. From 16-15 in the first game, the Indians broke away and not for once did they look back thereafter. To see them back in this fashion after playing a 75 minute marathon on Thursday gives me real hope about their fitness and stamina.

Some who follow badminton avidly had tweeted that the draw was extremely tough for Satwik and Chirag going in. Six Malaysian pairs were in their half of the draw. But then that’s what sport is all about. Winning against adversity and beating all odds on the way.

The match, at least in game one, was close. It was 16-15 at one point but the Indians seemed calm. Chirag, unfazed, kept speaking to Satwik before he got ready to serve. May be he was playing mind games. What else could he be speaking about in such a situation? To be able to stay calm under pressure speaks of temperament and both Satwik and Chirag proved it yet again as to why they are one of the best in the business.

For them it has not been a easy year. A heart breaking loss at the India Open and then having to concede a match at the All England, things have been rough to say the least. They had to pull out of the Sudirman Cup and India missed them badly. Now they are back and one hopes will go the distance in Singapore. They have failed and have learnt from it and have only come out better with all the experience.

That’s why sport is unique. The only thing that allows you to fail in public and then come back and win in public. Chirag and Satwik will as well. They are men of character and will come back a better team and better players. The fight will define them. The comeback from injury. From here on 2025 can only get better. With multiple super series coming up and the Asian Games a year away, every Indian fan will be praying for them.

“They have a complete game and will always be one of the best pairs around. If you check, there are few like them around the world. They have the physical strength to hit the big smashes, they have the defence and age is on their side. They will surely do well. All they need to do is stay away from injuries. And having played in Paris and knowing what it is all about to not fulfil dreams, they will surely come back stronger, more focussed and more resilient”, said Pullela Gopichand when I asked him about Satwik and Chirag ahead of the Singapore Open on how he sees them shaping up in the next year or so.

Evidently he is right. Goh and Izzuddin experienced it today. On Saturday it is the same old pair of Chia and Soh in the semi-finals, the ones who had shattered their Olympic dreams in Paris. Needless to say, the Indians will not need much motivation.