Satwiksairaj Rankireddy meets 'beast' Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics 2024 

India's top shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy could not hide his elation on his first day at the Olympic Games Village in Paris. The 23-year-old badminton star met tennis legend Rafael Nadal, a moment the former eagerly shared on social media. Rankireddy, who plays a crucial role in India’s men’s doubles badminton team, couldn't contain his excitement as he posed with Nadal.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy proudly posted a photo of their encounter on his Instagram story and wrote:

"With the beast."

The joy on his face was visible as he stood next to the Spanish icon, with both athletes grinning widely. Satwik, sporting the official Indian kit, had just landed in Paris earlier that day, while Nadal was casually dressed in Spain's training kit.

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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty remain India's best hope for a medal in Badminton

Ranked No. 3 in the world, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and his partner Chirag Shetty are among India's brightest medal prospects at the Paris Olympics 2024. Their recent triumphs, including a historic gold medal in men's doubles at the Asian Games in Jakarta, have set high expectations.

They aim to make history since no Indian man has ever clinched an Olympic medal in badminton. So far, India’s Olympic badminton medals have come from Saina Nehwal (bronze in London in 2012) and PV Sindhu (silver in Rio in 2016) and bronze (in Tokyo in 2020).

In their quest for Olympic glory, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag, seeded third, will face some tough competitors. They are set to compete against the World No. 6 pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia in Group C. Additionally, they will play against the World No. 31 German duo, Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel, and the World No. 43 French team, Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar.

The competition is fierce, with top seeds like China’s Lian Wei Keng and Wang Chang, Korea’s Kang Ming Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae, and Denmark’s Astrup and Rasmussen also in the fray. However, Satwik and Chirag’s recent form and unwavering determination make them strong contenders for a medal.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal, in his last Olympic campaign, will team up with Carlos Alcaraz in men's doubles.