What a start of the year for India’s own star doubles pair of Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, aka Sat-Chi. The Indian pair defeated the Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi to go (26-24, 21-10) into the semifinals in style after a tough-fought battle.
Tough beginning for the Indian pair
The first game was a nail-biter from the start. The Indian pair began aggressively, with Chirag delivering powerful cross-court smashes to seize an early lead. But the Malaysians fought back, showcasing solid net play and levelling the score at multiple junctures. As tensions rose, the game saw a thrilling tie at 24-24. Satwik and Chirag saved three consecutive game points before clinching the first game 26-24, thanks to back-to-back body smashes.
The dominating Sat-Chi display in game 2
Game 2 saw a strong start from Ong and Teo, who quickly took an early 4-1 lead. However, Satwik and Chirag, unfazed by the initial deficit, mounted a relentless attack. With awesome net play and some powerful smashes, they turned the tables by winning four points on the trot to secure a lead for the first time in the second game. As the Indians extended their advantage, they managed to pull away comfortably, eventually sealing the game at 21-15.
Pair looking for a great start to 2025
The pair is looking for a great start to 2025 with this tournament. After the Paris Olympics heartbreak in 2024, where they went out in the quarterfinals, they took a long break. Talking about the last two tournaments, last year, in the Syed Modi India International 2024, Sat-Chi unfortunately had to give a walkover against China’s Chen Xu Jun and Guo Ruo Han. Earlier, at the Li-Ning China Masters 2024, they impressively reached the semi-finals, winning against top pairs before losing to Korea’s Jin Yong and Seo Seung Jae.
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