New Delhi: India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty came agonisingly close to ending their title drought but fell short in the Hong Kong Open final. The world No. 8 duo pushed China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang to the edge before going down 21-19, 14-21, 17-21 in a thrilling contest that stretched for over an hour.
This was Satwik and Chirag’s first final of the year and their first appearance in a summit clash since winning the Thailand Open in May 2024. The Indian duo, who also claimed bronze at the recent BWF World Championships had battled through tough draws and long matches throughout the week, showing flashes of the grit that once made them one of the most feared pairs on the circuit.
The opening game went India’s way after some sharp net play and clever interceptions from Chirag while Satwik’s booming smashes kept the Chinese under pressure. But in the second game, the sixth ranked duo in the world, bounced back strongly. They tightened their defence, slowed down the rallies and capitalised on a phase where the Indians made a string of unforced errors to take the match into a decider.
More to follow…