Doubling hopes: Sindhu is 2-time medallist, but Sat-Chi have the best chance
Chandigarh, July 24
Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, the first queen of Indian badminton and the duckling who deposed her, brought three medals to India from consecutive Olympics — bronze, silver, bronze. From zero in the five Olympics that featured badminton to three in three, India has become accustomed to success in the sport. The three medals won by Saina and Sindhu place India at the fifth spot on the list of countries with most medals in women’s singles; indeed, for three Olympics in a row, only badminton and wrestling have won India medals.
1 day to go
The spotlight this time is not on the women, however — the men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty is much more likely than Sindhu to win a medal in Paris. The reasons are obvious: Sindhu has had diminishing returns from international tournaments in recent times, while Satwiksairaj and Chirag — Sat-Chi to all — have been in the ascendant.
Indian men have snatched the spotlight from the women in the years following the Tokyo Olympics. They won the Thomas Cup in 2022, and the enormity of this feat can’t be overstated; Sat-Chi won the doubles gold at the Asia Championships last year, a feat that can be put at par with winning a medal at the Olympics, such is the level of competition in Asia. Last year, HS Prannoy won a silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The Indian squad will feature seven players in five categories in Paris — the highest number at one Olympics since badminton was introduced as a competitive sport at Barcelona 1992. Sindhu, the leader of the pack, is the sole Indian in the women’s singles draw; Prannoy and Lakshya Sen feature in men’s singles; Sat-Chi in men’s doubles; and Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto in women’s doubles.
Sindhu must not be dismissed summarily, but her performance has been patchy after she suffered a stress fracture on her left ankle at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This kept her out of the rest of the tournaments that year, including the World Championships — which she had won in 2019. She’s been inconsistent since her return, reaching four semifinals in 2023 and also losing in the first round in seven tournaments. This year, her best has been a silver at the Malaysia Masters. At 29, Sindhu has seen the best days in her career; Paris is likely to be her last hurrah — her best hope lies in her vast experience and her big-match temperament.
Prannoy makes his Olympics debut at the rather ripe age of 31, while Sen does it at 22 years; Prannoy reached a career-high world No. 6 in 2023, with a first BWF World Tour title, a bronze at the World Championships, and the bronze at the Asian Games. Sen reached the semifinal at the French Open and the All-England Open. He’s also the current Commonwealth Games champion. On their day, both can best the best in the world.
The rise of Sat-Chi has been phenomenal: A World Championships bronze, gold in the Asian Games — that too in China! — and gold at the Asia Championships.
They’ve achieved the No. 1 ranking and are currently No. 3 — men’s badminton in Sat-Chi’s times is extremely competitive and all top teams are capable of defeating the others. At the Tokyo Games, Sat-Chi had a tough draw, for the world’s No. 1 and No. 3 teams were in their group, and their run ended early. This time, due to their high ranking, the Indians should easily make it from the group stage to the knockouts — after that, with their power, speed and pedigree, the two can believe that nothing is impossible.
Badminton
Women’s singles: PV Sindhu
Group stage: July 27-31
Round of 16: August 1
Quarterfinals: August 3
Semifinals: August 4
Final: August 5
Men’s singles: HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen
Group stage: July 27-31
Round of 16: August 1
Quarterfinals: August 2
Semifinals: August 4
Final: August 5
Men’s doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/ Chirag Shetty
Group stage: July 27-31
Quarterfinals: August 1
Semifinals: August 2
Final: August 4
Women’s doubles: Ashwini Ponnappa/ Tanisha Crasto
Group stage: July 27-31
Quarterfinals: August 1
Semifinals: August 2
Final: August 3
