Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their stellar run on the international stage by reaching the men’s doubles semifinals of the prestigious Malaysia Open Super 1000 tournament late on January 10. The seventh-seeded Indian duo defeated Malaysia’s Yew Sin Ong and Ee Yi Teo in straight games, 26-24, 21-15, in a 49-minute quarterfinal clash.
The victory marks their third consecutive semifinal appearance in this elite tournament, underlining their consistency and rising dominance in men’s doubles badminton.
The opening game was a rollercoaster affair, with both pairs displaying immense skill and determination. Satwik and Chirag started strongly, taking an early lead, but the Malaysian pair, roared on by the partisan home crowd, fought back valiantly. The Indian pair was pushed to their limits as the game extended into extra points. At 24-24, Satwik and Chirag held their nerve, showcasing exceptional reflexes and court awareness to clinch the first game 26-24 after a gripping 28-minute battle.
The Malaysian pair began the second game with renewed vigour, seizing the lead early and maintaining it until the mid-game interval. At 11-11, Satwik and Chirag, the Commonwealth and Asian Games medallists, shifted gears, finding their rhythm and executing a series of well-coordinated smashes and deceptive drops. What followed was a display of dominance as the Indian duo claimed 13 of the next 17 points. Their ability to adapt under pressure and capitalize on crucial moments proved decisive, allowing them to close out the second game 21-15 and secure their place in the semifinals.
Satwik and Chirag, runners-up in the previous edition of the Malaysia Open BWF World Tour Super 1000 event, now face a formidable challenge in the semifinals against South Korea’s Won Ho Kim and Seung Jae Seo.
Reflecting on their performance, the Indian duo said, “Great start to the year, we couldn’t have started on a better note. We want to go as deep in the tournament as possible.”
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the lone Indian pair in contention in the Malaysia Open after singles stars, Lakshya Sen, H.S. Prannoy, Priyanshu Rajawat, Malvika Bansod, Akarshi Kashyap, Anupama Upadhyayay and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Tresha Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand all were ousted in the first two rounds.
