Singapore Open: Catching a Break, Finally
For years, Singapore had been a bit of a Bermuda Triangle for Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
· PREM KUMAR
The skyline stayed the same, the courts gleamed under the lights, but somehow, every time they walked in with hopes higher than the Marina Bay Sands, they left with baggage heavier than their racket bags.
In 2017, when they were just wide-eyed youngsters, still trying to understand the rhythm of elite badminton, they lost in the qualifiers.
In 2018, they came back as No.2 seeds but the second round was as far as they’d go. Fast forward to 2024, they were world No.1s, with a bronze medal from the World Championships in their trophy case. First round exit.