Hong Kong Open: Satwik-Chirag reach semis after another gruelling 3-set battle

India's top-ranked men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, fought off Malaysia's Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap to reach the semi-final of the Hong Kong Open. The Indian duo, seeded 8th in the tournament, beat Arif and Yap in a three-game battle that lasted slightly over one hour.

Satwik and Chirag displayed some aggressive front court play to seal the match 21-14, 20-22, 21-16 on Friday, September 12. The Malaysian pair tried to stretch the Indian duo with their solid attack in the front court but were far off Satwik and Chirag's level.

Between the two, Satwik had the better game. Chirag occasionally fumbled the serve and also misjudged the flight in the backcourt, giving away points in tight junctures of the match.

The one-hour and four-minute contest saw Satwik and Chirag dominate the first and third games. They nearly pulled off a late heist in the second game as well, levelling the score at 20-20 by winning four points in a row. But a short service from Chirag shifted the momentum, and the Malaysian side sealed off that game with a two-point margin after the first deuce.

Satwik and Chirag's road to the semi-final has not been easy. On September 11, the duo battled back from a game down to defeat Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 18-21, 21-15, 21-11 in an hour and three minutes.

The Thai pair, ranked world No. 42, had shocked the Indians by snatching the opening game 21-18 with sharp net play and stubborn defence. However, the World Championships bronze medallists regrouped quickly, tightening their attack and dictating the pace in the second game.

In the decider, Satwik’s thunderous smashes and Chirag’s lightning reflexes at the net left the Thais with no answers as the Indians stormed to a dominant finish.

The duo seem to have found form after struggling over the last 12 months. They raised their level at the right time and secured a bronze medal in the BWF World Championships. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty outclassed familiar rivals Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik with a devastating display of attacking badminton to secure a medal in the tournament.

It was an important hurdle to cross for the Indian pair, as they had been knocked out by Aaron and Soh in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

With renewed confidence from their World Championships performance and strong showings in Hong Kong, Satwik and Chirag appear to be firmly back on track. Their rhythm is returning at the perfect time, setting them up well for the challenges ahead.