Satwiksairaj Rankireddy’s Return From Injury Delayed Further, Won’t Play Singapore Open

One of the brightest young talents in badminton for India, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is yet to make his way back to the court after suffering a shoulder injury last year.

The 18-year-old doubles player has been out of action with the injury since December and it has taken him a bit longer than normal to recuperate from what was initially a hairline fracture.

“Yes, it was quite serious (an injury),” Satwik told News18.com. Satwik suffered the shoulder injury after Syed Modi Open in November. However, he went on to participate in the Premier Badminton League (PBL) and ended up aggravating the injury.

“I’m still not totally fit but I have begun practicing now and will soon be back for tournaments,” Satwik said.

Satwik and Chirag Shetty (India’s top men’s doubles pair), after missing the Malaysia Masters, Indonesia Masters and All England Championships in the first three months, wanted to be back on court with the home tournament, India Open 2019, but even that did not materialise.

“Satwik has recovered from his injury but he will only start playing full on in another two weeks. So after consulting the physio we decided to skip the events,” Chirag had told PTI after pulling out of the tournament in New Delhi.

They were then expected to return with the Malaysia Open. Yet they won’t even make it to the Singapore Open next week.

“No, we are not playing Singapore as well,” Satwik said. “I didn’t exactly know the extent of the injury initially. But now my physio is well aware and he is taking care of me.”

The 2020 Olympic qualification cycle is set to begin next month and Satwik would want to be fit and prepared in order to qualify for Tokyo next year.

It’s not been long since Satwik began practicing. He is still restrained in terms of using his potent weapon, the jump smashes.

“I have started playing 70 per cent. Except for the smashes, I have started practicing everything,” Satwik shared.

The pair of Satwik-Chirag has seen a continuous growth on the international badminton circuit in the past two years and Satwik-Chirag will surely look to make it to their first Olympics next year.