September 15, 2023 06:27 pm | Updated September 16, 2023 08:09 am IST – HYDERABAD
R. Satwiksairaj, Ashish Srivastava, MD & CEO, PNB Metlife, Chirag Shetty and Sameer Bansal, CDO of PNB Metlife, at the unveiling of the PNB Metlife junior badminton championship in Hyderabad on Friday, September 15, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The upcoming Asian Games in China is like a Mini Olympics and the competition will be really tough, especially in doubles, according to R. Satwiksairaj.
In an informal chat at the unveiling of the trophy for the PNB-Metlife Trophy junior badminton championship to be held in Hyderabad in October, the champion doubles shuttler said the chances of a medal could be 50-50.
“It is never going to be easy. We cannot take anyone lightly. And, I don’t think numbers matter (being World No. 3 along with his partner Chirag Shetty),” he said.
“Consistency will be the key as we aim to do well in what is also the second Asian Games for us. We don’t want to think too much other than taking it match by match as always to avoid any sort of pressure,” Satwik said.
“The mantra for our success is that results have been excellent after we started spending more time together off the court. The chemistry is superb. We speak to each other in a very free and frank manner. There is nothing to talk behind each other. And, we know our job better,” he explained.
“In majors like the Commonwealth Games, and Worlds we play our hearts out and it will be no different in the coming Asiad. It is not that we don’t give 100 per cent in other tournaments. But, definitely there will be more than 100 in these championships,” Satwik said.
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For his part, Chirag said that they won the Indonesian Open title after a couple of early round losses in the events preceding that major.
“So, I don’t think we are too concerned about our recent results,” he said.
“Right from the day our journey began as doubles players, we kept things simple. Treat both wins and losses on par. We will be neither really happy after a win nor extremely sad after a loss. Every day is a new day with fresh challenges,” Chirag said.
“Personally, it is a nice feeling to be World No. 3 but again as Satwik said, these things don’t matter though we would be definitely happy to be World No. 1,” he said.
The duo, mentors at PNB Metlife, said they owed a lot to their parents and family members who never put any kind of pressure on them.
“In fact, my mother often tells me not to get disappointed after a loss as the parents of the other players could be praying for their sons’ success,” Chirag said with a big smile.