Djokovic in Tokyo, Nadal in Paris: India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy poses with Spanish great in Olympic Village

The Indian badminton players have arrived at the Olympic Village in Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympics, along with other members of the contingent as athletes from all around the world trickle into the French capital.

The opening ceremony for the Games is scheduled to be held on July 26 and the badminton events start on July 27. Star names like PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the medal hopes for India in Paris.

Part of the Olympic experience for athletes is brushing shoulders with some international superstars at the Olympic Village, and Rankireddy made the most of the opportunity by getting a photograph with Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal. “With the beast,” he said in his caption to a photo that he posted on his Instagram story with the 22-time Grand Slam winner and two-time Olympic gold medallist.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Rankireddy’s men’s doubles partner Chirag Shetty was one of several Indian athletes who got a click with Serbian great Novak Djokovic, who was chasing his first Olympic gold that year and looking to complete a rare Golden Slam.

Luck eluded Djokovic though, as he lost in the semifinals in men’s singles and then went on to lose the bronze medal match as well. Notably, luck seemed to elude most Indian athletes who took pics with Djokovic as well, with Chirag and Rankireddy being amongst them. The pair were knocked out in the group stage of men’s doubles. They have come to the Paris Olympics on much stronger footing though and are among the foremost medal contenders in the field.

India are looking to win a medal in badminton for the fourth consecutive Olympics. Saina Nehwal had become the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal when she won bronze at London 2012. PV Sindhu then won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020.