- By Manik Sharma
- Sat, 20 Jan 2024 11:13 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian Open 2024 BWF 750: In a thrilling contest at the India Badminton Open in New Delhi, the second-seeded duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy continued their dominant run by securing a spot in the final of Men’s Doubles India Open 2024.
They defeated Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, the No. 4 seeds, in the semifinal with a scoreline of 21-18, 21-14 in straight sets, sealing the game in 45 minutes.
The Indian pair took an early lead in the first game, but the Malaysian duo fought back, briefly taking the lead at 7-6. A remarkable 27-shot rally and impressive defence from Chirag, combined with Satwik’s smashes, helped India regain the lead at 9-8.
Despite a close contest, Chia-Soh went ahead 11-10 at the break. However, multiple unforced errors by the Malaysians allowed Satwik-Chirag to secure the first game 21-18 in 20 minutes.
In the second game, Chia-Soh started strong, breaking the Indian duo's serve and taking an early lead at 4-1. Satwik's sharp net kill helped India level the score at 4-4. A 30-shot rally favoured the Malaysian pair, giving them a 7-5 lead.
Despite a competitive phase, Chirag's dangerous smash helped India level at 13-13. Satwik-Chirag seized control, capitalising on Chia's struggles after medical treatment. With a 29-shot rally win taking them to 19-14 lead, they ultimately secured the contest 21-14.
Satwik-Chirag are now set to face the Korean pair of Seo Seung-jae and Kang Min-hyuk in the final on Sunday. This is Indian duo's second final in a row after reaching the summit clash in Malysia last week, where they lost to the Chinese pair.
In the Men's Singles match China’s Yu Qi Shi secured the final spot by defeating India’s HS Prannoy in straight sets (21-15, 21-5) in front of a packed home crowd in 42 minutes.
The match started with World No. 8 Prannoy taking an early lead with well-measured drop shots and cross-court smashes. Despite Prannoy briefly gaining an advantage, Yuqi swiftly reclaimed the lead, making it 8-7 in favour of the Chinese.
Yuqi maintained control, leading 11-10 before the break in the first game. The game remained evenly matched until 14-14, but Yuqi showcased his tactical masterclass with angling smashes and quick footwork, closing the game 21-15.
In the second game, Yuqi dominated from the start, applying early pressure with down-the-line smashes. He extended his lead to 8-3 after a gruelling 27-shot rally. Prannoy struggled to gain momentum, and Yuqi continued to score easy points. Leading 11-4 at the break, Yuqi showcased defensive prowess and closed the game comfortably, winning 21-5.
The World No. 6 Yuqi received praise from Indian fans for his impressive display in the BWF 750 series.
