Unicaus NEWS
The former world No. 1 duo has give you some breathtaking performances in latest occasions after being sidelined by accidents and sickness within the final yr and a half. The duo lately received the bronze medal on the World Championships in Paris and adopted up the sterling efficiency by reaching the Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750 match finals.
On a sizzling streak, the nine-time BWF World Tour winners, who’re at the moment positioned No. 7 on this planet, are hoping so as to add a tenth title to their kitty quickly, and in addition credit score their string of fine performances to a “side-by-side” technique they’ve advanced in latest occasions.
“We have tried playing side-by-side more often, especially after service to control the pushes,” Chirag, who relied extra on the front-and-back technique to date, informed PTI Videos.
“(Malaysian) coach Tan Kim Her told us that many pairs are doing it, and we too felt it (side-by-side strategy) worked well. Once a guy serves, the other splits up at the front court to catch the pushes. It has really worked for us in the last two to three tournaments,” added Chirag.
The duo has additionally labored on service variations, with Chirag creating a flat serve that has grow to be his key weapon.
“In the last couple of tournaments, we’ve served a lot better than in the past year. The game is too fast to rely on one style. You need multiple ways to score points, and that’s what we are trying to develop,” he stated.
The final 16 months have been a take a look at of resilience for the duo with Satwik battling a shoulder harm and Chirag dealing with health points. Their rating dropped to 27 at one stage, sending alarm bells ringing within the badminton circles.
“Everybody expects results, but there are plenty of factors not in your hands. To return from 27th to the top-8 within a few months after injuries is commendable. Despite setbacks, we’ve played countless semifinals and two finals, which I think is really commendable.”
Their bronze on the World Championships in Paris, their second after 2022, marked a big confidence increase.
“We had tough draws and opponents we hadn’t fared well against in the past. Winning those matches gave us the confidence to believe again. That confidence helped us in the back-to-back finals (in Hong Kong and China Masters in Shenzhen) that followed, even though we couldn’t always cross the line,” stated Chirag.
While their attacking sport stays a power, Satwik admitted the defence nonetheless wants fine-tuning.
“Compared to the top pairs, we lag in that area. At crucial moments, we tend to attack rather than defend, unlike the Koreans who stay calm and solid. If we can defend strongly under pressure, it will take us much ahead. We start to open in rallies, but when it heats up, we tend to go attacking, so improving defense under pressure is the key,”stated Satwik.
Much of their evolution has come below Malaysian coach Tan Kim Her, who guided them of their youth and has overseen their latest resurgence.
“The camaraderie is special,” Satwik added.
“He used to joke that he’ll only post our pictures once we win medals. After the Worlds, he said, ‘Finally, I can pose with you guys’. Now he tells us, ‘once you start, there’s no stopping’. We trust him completely, and that bond has always helped us push ourselves further.”
The pair is at the moment having fun with a brief break.
“Right now, we are switching off our phones and spending time at home,” Satwik stated.
“I am here to celebrate Dussehra with friends, and Chirag is also enjoying family time. Being back home with friends and family really helps to relax the mind before getting back to Hyderabad for practice.”
With the French Open and Denmark Open lined up subsequent, Chirag added, “We may not have crossed the line in the finals yet, but the confidence from the Worlds has put us on track. We just need to stick to our strategies, keep evolving, and make sure we are ready for the next tournaments.”
