NEW DELHI: The Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Monday said "one breakthrough title" can reignite a strong run as they look to revive their glory days at the USD 950,000 India Open Super 750.
Despite finishing runners-up at the Hong Kong Open and China Masters, and winning a bronze at the World Championships, and qualifying for the knockout stage of the World Tour Finals last year, Chirag admitted the season felt underwhelming by their own lofty standards.
"From the outside it might seem like it wasn't the best year, especially since we didn't end up winning a title. I think we've set our expectations so high that for us anything less than a title feels below the mark," Chirag told PTI.
The pair, used to winning at least one title every season over the last few years, had to navigate significant physical and personal challenges, particularly Chirag's long-standing back issue.
"We went through some really tough times, both personally and physically. I was dealing with a back injury, and I honestly didn't know how long it would take to get back. I did everything possible to return to the court, but it took much longer than expected," he said.
Chirag highlighted how perspective can often get lost in elite sport.
"I dropped to number 27 in the world and still managed to finish the year at number 3. When I was injured, if someone had told me I'd end the year ranked third, I would've taken it without hesitation.
"But once we actually finished at number 3, my first thought was still that I didn't win a title. That's just how an athlete's mind works. It's never satisfied," he said, adding that in hindsight it was "a really good year."
Another title is just a matter of time, want to emulate 2022 run
Satwik and Chirag have a strong history at the India Open, having reached the final twice in the last four editions and winning the title in 2022. That triumph proved to be a turning point, triggering a remarkable run that included the Thomas Cup title and gold at the Commonwealth Games.
Recalling the unusual build-up to the 2022 event amid COVID restrictions, Satwik said the win transformed everything.
"Winning a tournament changes a lot of things. Just winning, no matter what, small or big. That tournament gave a lot of confidence," Satwik said.
"We are looking for that one win where we get that confidence and play our A game. It's just a matter of time. We've won many titles before, so I wouldn't call it a mental block. All we can do is keep finding ways to improve and address our shortcomings."
Chirag echoed the sentiment, calling the 2022 India Open a defining moment.
"We beat (Mohammad) Ahsan and (Hendra) Setiawan in the finals. That was a big win. That just kept the ball rolling. It completely changed the year for us. That 2022 India Open win was definitely very special. I hope we emulate that," he said.
Focus is on service receiving during training
The pair said they have doubled down on sharpening their service-and-return game, an area they believe can decide matches at the highest level.
"I think it's an ongoing process. You can never be perfect, but we place a lot of emphasis on service and receiving because if you are good in those first two or three strokes, you end up winning most of the rallies, if not all of them," Chirag said.
"I think every other men's doubles pair would agree that you need to be strong in those first two or three strokes, whether you're serving or receiving. You can't be at 100% every time, but you're always looking for areas where you can get better."
It has been a year since the Indian duo reunited with Malaysian coach Tan Kim Her, who is credited with bringing them together, following the departure of Denmark's Mathias Boe after the Paris Olympics.
"It was tough at the start because we were used to play a more European style. With Tan, it's very different, the mindset, the planning, everything," Satwik said, explaining how longer, sustained training sessions initially took time to adapt to.
The duo now enjoy a more collaborative relationship with Tan, blending what worked under Boe with new ideas, particularly service and return.
Looking ahead, Chirag acknowledged that Korea's world number one pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, winners of 11 titles last year, remain the benchmark.
"They don't give away points easily. To beat them, you have to be at your absolute A-game and very patient," Chirag said.
"We've played them twice and both matches were very close. We're confident we can change that with the right ideas and game plan.
"And yeah, we'd definitely love to play against them again soon," he added.