Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty Achieve Historic First for India at Paris Olympics
The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made history at the Paris Olympics 2024.
The medal-contending Indian men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty qualified for the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics 2024 on Monday with one group match remaining. This advancement came after the withdrawal of one pair and the loss suffered by another. The world number three Indians were scheduled to face the German duo of Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel in their second Group C match. However, the match was canceled due to Lamsfuss’s withdrawal from the tournament due to injury.
According to the BWF General Competition Regulations for group-stage play, the results of all matches involving the German duo of Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel will be considered “deleted” due to Lamsfuss’s withdrawal. Consequently, any points from matches played against the Germans will not be counted.
As a result, Group C of the men’s doubles competition will now consist of three pairs: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty from India, Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar from France, and Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Fajar Alfian from Indonesia. The Indian pair and the Indonesian duo each have one win, both against the French pair, who are eliminated after two losses.
With two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals, Satwik-Chirag and Ardianto-Alfian have secured their spots. On Tuesday, Satwik-Chirag will face Ardianto-Alfian to determine the group leader.
The draw for the knockout rounds will be held on Wednesday, according to the BWF.
Earlier, the BWF announced that the German pair of Lamsfuss and Seidel had withdrawn from the Paris 2024 Olympic badminton competition due to Lamsfuss’s knee injury. As a result, their remaining Group C matches, including the one against Satwik-Chirag scheduled for July 29, 2024, and the one against Corvee-Labar, have been canceled. The win by Ardianto and Alfian over Lamsfuss and Seidel on July 27 was also nullified.
Satwik and Chirag began their campaign with a 21-17, 21-14 victory over the French pair Corvee and Labar on July 27.
