The dynamic Indian men's doubles badminton pair, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have achieved a remarkable feat. They have propelled themselves to new heights in the updated world rankings.
After the duo's sensational win at Indonesia Open Super 1000, they have jumped three places, to secure their career-best position as the world's number three as announced by BWF rankings on Tuesday.
Chirag and Rankireddy showcased their outstanding skills throughout the tournament in Jakarta, which let them etch their names in Indian badminton history by capturing the nation's first-ever BWF Super 1000 title.
The duo's unforgettable campaign comprised spectacular wins in the quarter-finals facing off against the challenging Indonesian duo of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto. This duo is ranked as the world's top-ranked pair.
They commenced their awe-inspiring run by surpassing the reigning Malaysian world champions, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who were earlier ranked No. 3, in a gripping summit clash.
In early 2023, Chirag and Rankireddy kickstarted their campaign at the applaudable world No. 5 position. Nevertheless, their victories at the Swiss Open BWF 300 tournament and the prestigious Indonesia Open pushed them beyond Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, as well as the Japanese duo of Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, who dropped to world No. 4 and 5, sequentially.
Among other Indian men's doubles teams, MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila achieved a praise-worthy ranking at world number 25. Moreover, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia persist to overpower the world rankings, seeing no one taking their first position.
In men's singles, HS Prannoy showcased his prowess to secure ninth place in the world rankings whereas, Kidambi Srikanth has climbed three places to bag the 19th position. Similarly, Lakshya Sen has climbed two spots and is now 18th. Rising star Priyanshu Rajawat has advanced four places to jump into the top 30s.
As far as women's singles are concerned, PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympian, remained at number 12. She has lately been prey to poor form and injuries, managing to advance beyond the round of 16 stages only two times in 2023. Sania Nehwal stands as the second-best player from India, occupying the 31st place.
Considering women's doubles rankings, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly are honored with the highest Indian ranking. They are currently holding the 16th place. Moreover, Sikki Reddy and Rohan Kapoor are India's top-ranked mixed double teams, currently placed 33rd.