Indian Duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty Stumble at China Open
Commonwealth Games men’s doubles champions, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, faced an unexpected challenge at the China Open Super 1000 tournament. The duo suffered an opening-round defeat to Indonesia’s Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Maulana Bagas, adding a surprising twist to their recent successes.
| Indian Pair | Indonesian Duo | Match Result | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty | Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Maulana Bagas | 17-21, 21-11, 17-21 | 1 hour 8 minutes |
“With the defeats, the Indian challenge came to an end as no shuttler from the country could advance to the second round of the tournament.”
This loss in the opening round comes as a significant disappointment for Satwik and Chirag, especially considering their recent triumphs at the Swiss Open Super 300, Korea Open, and the Indonesia Open Super 1000 earlier this year. The defeat marks the second time this year that the Indonesians have bested the Indian duo, having previously defeated them in the pre-quarterfinals of the Thailand Open in June.
Indian Mixed Doubles Pair Sikki Reddy and Rohan Kapoor Also Exit
The woes for Indian shuttlers didn’t end with Satwik and Chirag’s defeat. The Indian mixed doubles pair of Sikki Reddy and Rohan Kapoor also faced an early exit from the tournament, succumbing to the Malaysian duo of Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei with a score of 15-21, 16-21 in the first round.
Challenges Ahead for Indian Shuttlers
With these unexpected exits, the Indian challenge at the China Open Super 1000 came to an abrupt end. The defeats just ahead of the Asian Games pose a significant challenge for Satwik, Chirag, and other Indian shuttlers as they aim to regroup and prepare for future competitions.
Other Notable Exits
Tuesday saw World Championship bronze medallist HS Prannoy also making a surprising opening-round exit after losing in three games to Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong. Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen faced a similar fate, crashing out of the tournament in the first round after a tough battle against Anders Antonsen of Denmark.
This string of unexpected exits has left Indian badminton enthusiasts hoping for a better performance in the upcoming tournaments and the Asian Games.
(This story has not been edited by Smartkhabrinews staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
Tags:
Commonwealth Games, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, China Open Super 1000, Indian Shuttlers, Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, Maulana Bagas, Sikki Reddy, Rohan Kapoor, Chen Tang Jie, Toh Ee Wei, Asian Games, HS Prannoy, Ng Tze Yong, Lakshya Sen, Anders Antonsen