New Delhi: Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their impressive form this season, advancing to their third semifinal after a commanding straight-games victory over Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.
The former world No. 1 pair had previously reached the semifinals at both the Malaysia Open and the India Open earlier this year.
Heading into the match with a 6-2 head-to-head advantage over the Malaysians – despite having lost their most recent encounter at the India Open – the Indian pair showed no signs of hesitation. The match started with two service faults in the opening four points, and both teams opted for short rallies, aiming for sharp angles and early attacks.
The score moved evenly from 1-1 to 7-7, before Satwik took control of the serve and the third shot exchanges, helping India gain a three-point cushion at the mid-game interval. Maintaining their momentum, the Indian duo extended their lead to 15-11, although a service error from Satwik and a jump smash from Izzuddin reduced the margin to 13-15. A powerful forehand smash by Satwik then made it 18-15, followed by an error from Izzuddin and a clinical straight smash from Chirag, earning three game points. Goh’s service return into the net handed the Indians the opening game and a vital advantage.
In the second game, Chirag made a few early errors, but the Indians managed to stay even with their opponents in the fast-paced exchanges, leveling at 6-6. They then strung together four straight points, briefly halted by an unforced error. A fierce body shot from Chirag forced Izzuddin into a net error, pushing India to a 11-7 lead at the break.
After the interval, the Indian pair continued their aggressive approach, with a sharp backhand at the net extending their lead to 15-9. Satwik followed it up with a thunderous smash to make it 16-10. Despite a few unforced errors, the Indians remained in control. Satwik’s aggressive return earned them five match points, and they sealed the victory after another mistake from their Malaysian opponents.
With this clinical performance, Satwik and Chirag not only avenged their previous loss to the Malaysians but also booked their place in yet another semifinal, underlining their status as one of the top men’s doubles pairs this season.