New Delhi: Bharat’s formidable men’s doubles badminton duo, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, secured their place in the final of the India Open 2024 with a commanding victory over Tokyo 2020 bronze medalists Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Chia of Malaysia. The Indian pair, currently second in the BWF rankings, outplayed their world No. 4 Malaysian opponents with a 21-18, 21-14 triumph in New Delhi on Saturday.
This marks Shetty and Rankireddy’s second consecutive final appearance in the 2024 badminton season. In the final, scheduled to kick off today, of the BWF Super 750 tournament, they are set to face reigning world champions Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae of the Republic of Korea. Notably, the Indian duo had defeated the South Korean pair in the semi-finals of the Malaysia Open last week.
The first game saw Chirag-Satwik secure a 1-0 lead, displaying a strong finish by winning four of the last five points. In the second game, the Malaysian duo initially took a 10-6 lead, but the Indian pair rallied back to level the scores at 13-13 before ultimately clinching victory and a spot in the final of the India Open 2024.
Meanwhile, world championship bronze medalist HS Prannoy, currently ranked ninth globally, faced a tough loss to China’s world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi. Prannoy’s fifth defeat against the Chinese shuttler unfolded with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-5 in 42 minutes.
The India Open 2024, being the second tournament of the 2024 badminton season, holds significance as it offers qualifying ranking points for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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