Badminton Asia Championships 2023 Final LIVE Updates: S Rankireddy and Shetty script historic comeback to win Gold at Asia Championships

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty scripted historic comeback in the final after being 1-0 down to winning 1-2. They never gave up in the face of adversity and despite matters going against them, they made a comeback for the ages and got their hands on the coveted gold medal. They are the Asian Champions and history has been made for Indian badminton with this win!

Whew! A historic day for India and this was no less than an absolute humdinger of a match! We hope you enjoyed the coverage of this contest! Thank you for joining us tonight! Until we meet again then, let us celebrate the growth of this sport in India over the past decade or so. This is me, Maanas Upadhyay, bidding you adieu! Good night!

Road to Gold!

Here's how Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty's tournament unfolded:

Round of 32: Tan Kian Meng & Tan Wee Kiong lost to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 0-2
Scores: 14-21, 17-21

Round of 16: Jin Yong & Na Sung Seung lost to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 0-2
Scores: 13-21, 11-21

Quarter Final: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty beat Mohammad Ahsan & Hendra Setiawan 2-0
Scores: 21-11. 21-12

Semi Final: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty beat Lee Yang & Wang Chi-Lin [RETIRED]
Scores: 21-18, 13-14*

Final: Ong Yew Sin & Teo Ee Yi lose to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 1-2
Scores: 21-16, 17-21, 19-21

It's time for the presentations! Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are felicitated with the gold medal and a bouquet. They cannot contain their happiness! Whew! What a journey it has been for them!

CHAMPIONS OF ASIA! 🇮🇳🏆

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty create Indian Sporting History as they become the 1st ever Indian Men's Doubles pair to win the Badminton Asia Championship! ❤️🔥

INCREDIBLE. ABSOLUTE HEROES! 💪#BAC2023 #Badminton #SKIndianSports pic.twitter.com/u7nHG24G1R
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 30, 2023

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty create Indian Sporting history! 🏆🔥

They come back from behind to become the 1st ever Indian pair to win the Badminton Asia Championship! ❤️🇮🇳#BAC2023 #Badminton #SKIndianSports pic.twitter.com/1ggZhBdVcY
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 30, 2023

Match Result!

Ong Yew Sin & Teo Ee Yi (Malaysia) lost to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty 1-2
Scores: 21-16. 17-21, 19-21

NEVER GIVE UP! That's the biggest lesson anyone can take home from this game! When all seemed lost, when everything seemed to be going against them, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have held their nerve and made a comeback! They lost the first game, were down in the second and third by at least four points at some point during the games but they did not let that demotivate them. Credit to their coach as well, his pep talk in the break of the second game gave the Indians the impetus that they needed! Time after another, the Malaysians squandered away their lead and their chance at winning this match. However, that will not matter as S RANKIREDDY AND CHIRAG SHETTY ARE ASIAN CHAMPIONS!

He falls to the ground, does Shetty as soon as Teo fails to return Rankireddy's smash. Oh what a performance this has been and what a comeback this has been from the pair! They are so young and they are already on track to becoming one of India's greatest ever Men's Doubles pair! Rankireddy does a little dance and lifts his partner in the air! Oh this has been sensational from Rankireddy and Shetty!

THEY HAVE DONE IT! RANKIREDDY AND CHIRAG SHETTY HAVE WON GOLD!
Game 3 Result: Rankireddy & Chirag 21-19 Ong & Teo

The umpire refuses the court-wipe requests from Rankireddy, considering that it might be a tactic to delay.

Match Point! 20-17 in favour of India and they are just one point away from a historic win!

"Jeetega bhai jeetega, India jeetega!" are the chants from the crowd and they are celebrating each and every point that the Indians are getting. A one-point lead for them now as the score stands at 18-17 in favour of Rankireddy and Shetty!

Game 3: Rankireddy & Chirag 15-15 Ong & Teo
Another comeback from the Indians and one where they needed it the most. However, there is much more needed to be done but they are turning on the heat here! Whew! This is going down the wire!

Game 3: Rankireddy & Chirag 11-15 Ong & Teo
Oh dear! Matters are not looking too good for Chirag and Rankireddy here but we cannot forget their terrific comeback in the last game. They need points and they need points in a flurry here. They need to hold their nerve and play in a similar fashion that they did in the last game. The crowd is behind the Indians too!

Ong is the stronger of the two players in the Malaysian camp but the Indians continue to play at him. He's fetching them multiple points with some terrific smashes. The score now stands at 10-14 in favour of the Malaysian pair.

Game 3: Rankireddy & Chirag 8-11 Ong & Teo
A few simple points being given away as the Indian smashes are thudding into the net instead of going over it and fetching them points. They find themselves on the back-foot once again and need a charge here like the last game.

Game 3: Rankireddy & Chirag 5-8 Ong & Teo
A plethora of unforced errors from the Indians now as both Chirag and Rankireddy have send their smashes in the net multiple times. A three-point lead for the Malaysian pair and Shetty and Rankireddy need to make a comeback before it gets too late.

Game 3: Rankireddy & Chirag 5-4 Ong & Teo
A slew of smashes in the middle as both pairs are as aggressive as ever in their approach. Teo just seems to be the weaker link in the Malaysian set-up and the Indians might direct their smashes at him, as he's made a few unforced errors.

Game 2 Result: Rankireddy & Chirag 21-17 Ong & Teo
A shift in momentum suddenly in this game and it is Rankireddy and Chirag who stay alive in this contest on the back of some absolutely fantastic display of badminton from the pair! After trailing by six points at one point in the contest to going on to seize the game, we certainly need to appreciate the never-give-up spirit of these youngsters!

Game 2: Rankireddy & Chirag 15-14 Ong & Teo
They've done a terrific job here, have Rankireddy and Shetty as they have covered a massive deficit to take a one-point lead! They need to win this one to stay alive in this match.

Game 2: Rankireddy & Chirag 10-13 Ong & Teo
They are making quite a comeback here! Slowly but steadily, they have reduced the gap there and are playing a counter-attacking brand of badminton which is helping their cause here. Can they pull off a comeback for the ages here? Stick around to find out!

Game 2: Rankireddy & Chirag 5-10 Ong & Teo
The lead keeps extending and the Malaysians are in the driver's seat to take home the gold medal here. They have just been blown away by their opponents here.

Game 2: Rankireddy & Chirag 2-6 Ong & Teo
It's not going the way of the Indians and the Malaysians are bossing proceedings here. Rankireddy and Shetty have been forced to go on the defense, something that they are not used to. Their natural aggressive game has won them games this tournament.

Game 1 Result: Rankireddy & Chirag 16-21 Ong & Teo
The Malaysians have run away with the first game here as Rankireddy and Shetty have just been caught on the back-foot. They are seeming to be a pale shadow of themselves here. The Malaysians are turning out to be too hot to handle for the Indians.

There is plenty of support in the crowd for the Malaysians! And they are enjoying it too! They've extended their lead to 15-13 now.

Game 1: Rankireddy & Chirag 10-11 Ong & Teo

It's next and neck at the moment and the Malaysians have taken just a solitary point lead here. There is plenty to talk about for both sides to their respective coaches. Both pairs are playing really aggressively here!

Game 1: Rankireddy & Chirag 6-4 Ong & Teo

The game has begun and both sides are trading blows! Rankireddy and Chirag are having to play on their defense as well here as they are going up against some equally aggressive opponents! Not the manner in which they are used to be getting their points but they are getting them nonetheless.

The players have taken positions and we are about to begin with proceedings!

The presentations ceremony is being held for the Men's Singles players. We are moments away from live action!

Loh Kean Yew and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting play a one-sided game as it is the latter who gets the better of his counterpart in straight games, winning the contest 12-21, 8-21. Well, with the Men's Singles Final over, we will move on to the much-awaited contest - the Men's Doubles Final which will feature the Indians!

Road to Final:

Here's how Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty performed en route the final:

Round of 32: Tan Kian Meng & Tan Wee Kiong lost to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 0-2
Scores: 14-21, 17-21

Round of 16: Jin Yong & Na Sung Seung lost to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 0-2
Scores: 13-21, 11-21

Quarter Final: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty beat Mohammad Ahsan & Hendra Setiawan 2-0
Scores: 21-11. 21-12

Semi Final: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty beat Lee Yang & Wang Chi-Lin [RETIRED]
Scores: 21-18, 13-14*

He said it before and they delivered too! They certainly have handled the expectations exceptionally! Read all about what S Rankireddy had to say in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda below 👇

"The more you expect, the better we are performing" - S Rankireddy confident of handling expectations leading up to Badminton Asia Championships 2023

The excitement for the Final is palpable and we are not too far away from it!

We are around an hour away from the Badminton Asia Championships - Men's Doubles Final! 🇮🇳💪

Head to Head: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are tied 3-3 against their Malaysian opponents Ong Yew Sin and Teo Yi Ee. ⚔️#BAC2023 #SKIndianSports pic.twitter.com/4khaXUqs6v
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 30, 2023

Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda's live coverage of the Men's Doubles Final of the Badminton Asia Championships! It will be the Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty who will be eyeing the Gold medal as they lock horns with the Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia! It has been quite a dream run for Rankireddy and Shetty and they find themselves assured of a silver medal. But with the way they have been going in the tournament, they certainly wouldn't want to settle for anything lesser than the top honours.
It promises to be nothing short of an edge-of-the-seat thriller! Which side will emerge on top? Stick around to find out! Taking you through all that unfolds over this contest will be me, Maanas Upadhyay! Hang tight for we are in for an absolute treat!