Defending Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are preparing for their title defence in Aichi-Nagoya. Chirag spoke about their ambition to retain the gold medal, Satwik’s recovery from injury and how the 2026 Games feel different from Hangzhou. He said the absence of a Games Village and limited interaction with athletes from other countries makes the event feel more like a Japan Super 1000 tournament. Chirag also discussed the challenges awaiting the defending champions in the badminton competition.