New Delhi:Following their victory over Malaysian players Man Wei Chong and Kai Wun Tee with scores of 23-21, 19-21, and 21-16 in the opening round of the $950,000 India Open on Tuesday, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy shared a fist bump and an embrace with his partner Chirag Shetty before making his way to greet a familiar figure in the coaching area.

Tan Kim Her beamed with joy, pleased to witness his charges advance to the second round of the Super 750 event after overcoming challenging opponents he was well acquainted with.

Nearly a decade ago, the renowned Malaysian badminton coach made the decision to pair Rankireddy and Shetty together, despite their initial reluctance. Tan had astutely analyzed the playing styles of both athletes and recognized their potential for synergy. Although they faced difficulties at the outset, their subsequent achievements propelled Indian men’s doubles badminton to unprecedented heights.

Rankireddy and Shetty became the first Indian duo across all categories to attain the No. 1 ranking in the world. They also made history as the first men’s doubles team to earn a medal at the World Championships and as the first Indian men’s doubles pair to secure gold at both the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, in addition to winning multiple prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour.

After Tan's departure, the duo continued to thrive under the guidance of Mathias Boe. However, following Boe's exit after the Paris Olympics, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) reinstated Tan, reuniting him with the pair he had originally assembled.

It is a pleasure to welcome back Coach Tan after a six-year absence. He deserves significant recognition for our accomplishments to date. At that time, we were still young players, and when he departed, we were ranked within the top 20. His five years with the Japan team have been fruitful. The methodology has evolved considerably since 2016, as noted by Shetty. The Indian duo is currently seeded seventh.

"We have now established ourselves more firmly. Previously, his coaching style was quite directive; he would instruct us on specific actions. Today, the approach is much more interactive. We engage in discussions about what needs to be accomplished, and he shares his insights. Although it has only been a month since his return, we are pleased to have him back."

The world No. 9 pair has already participated in one tournament under Coach Tan, the Malaysia Open last week, where they advanced to the semifinals. They are now aiming to replicate their success from 2022, when they triumphed at the India Open under the guidance of their 53-year-old coach.

"A strong relationship with your coach is essential. We affectionately referred to him as 'daddy' because he played a pivotal role in our development," Rankireddy shares with a laugh. "The connection remains unchanged since his departure. We have complete trust in him. Our goal is to build upon the foundation he established and perform well in all upcoming tournaments."

After just a month of working together, noticeable improvements have emerged, particularly in their defensive skills, as demonstrated at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Tuesday, reminiscent of the defensive prowess exhibited by Malaysian coaches and players.

Minor adjustments are of significant importance. Everyone is familiar with the basics of striking or dropping. Our focus should be on tactical enhancements. This is the approach we will adopt with Coach Tan, particularly in refining our defense, which is commendable but may not be the best globally, Shetty remarked.

He inquires about areas that require improvement and then shares his insights, a practice that was absent during our junior years at ages 18 and 19. At that time, as emerging athletes, we lacked a clear direction regarding what actions to take and what to avoid.

They are set to compete against Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura in the second round on Thursday.

Upsets among elite players

The reigning world champion and 2023 India Open victor, Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand, faced an unexpected defeat against Alex Lanier, the Japan Open champion. The 19-year-old French player triumphed over the fourth seed with scores of 21-11, 14-21, 21-14 in a match lasting 67 minutes.

Li Shi Feng, the reigning Asian Games gold medalist and 2023 All England Open champion, also experienced an early exit, losing 21-18, 17-21, 17-21 to Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao in the first round.

In the women’s singles category, Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon triumphed over Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara with scores of 21-13, 21-15 in a contest between two former world champions.

The most significant upset in the doubles event occurred when the top seeds and reigning World Tour Finals champions, Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen from Denmark, were defeated 22-20, 19-21, 16-21 by South Korea’s Jin Yong and Kang Min Hyuk.

Due to a late arrival, Srikanth has opted to give a walkover.

Having got an entry into the men’s singles draw late on Monday after reigning champion and top seed Shi Yu Qi of China pulled out of the $950,000 India Open, former champion Kidambi Srikanth gave a walkover to Weng Hong Yang of China.

The former world No. 1 was unable to arrive in the national capital on time for the match due to a delay in his flight.

"Srikanth was not traveling from Hyderabad. His flight delay prevented him from arriving punctually," stated the Badminton Association of India (BAI).

Although Srikanth secured victory in the Super 750 tournament a decade ago, he has since fallen to No. 45 in the world rankings, which resulted in his failure to obtain a direct entry.

Kiran George, the other Indian player elevated from the reserve list following the withdrawal of Indonesian eighth seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, triumphed over Japan's Yushi Tanaka with scores of 21-19, 14-21, and 27-25 to progress to Round 2.

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