In a high-stakes semifinal match of the Malaysia Open, the Indian badminton duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced a tough challenge from Korea’s duo, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, in straight games (21-10,21-15). Expectations were high as the Indian pair had been performing exceptionally well throughout the tournament. They didn’t have a good start to the year. They will be in action now in the India Open next week, hoping for good results and a turnaround in their fortunes. They were the lone hope for India in the tournament, as all other players saw an early exit.
Struggles in the first game
Satwik and Chirag started strong in the opening game but soon lost their momentum. The Korean pair quickly found their stride, capitalising on openings and forcing the Indians into making errors. Despite their best efforts, Satwik and Chirag could only find10 points, while Kim and Seo dominated the game, securing 21 points, including a streak of five consecutive points at one stretch.
Attempt at a comeback
In the second game, the Indian duo climbed a spirited comeback. They showed some good game making the match much more competitive. Satwik and Chirag upped their game, scoring 15 points in the process. However, the Korean pair remained steady and focused, with the same dominance ultimately winning the game with 21 points.
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Another missed finals after the comeback
The pair missed another chance to go into the finals after their comeback. Following their disappointing exit in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, they took an extended break. Reflecting on their recent tournaments, at the Syed Modi India International 2024, Sat-Chi had to sadly withdraw against China’s Chen Xu Jun and Guo Ruo Han. Prior to that, at the Li-Ning China Masters 2024, they made an impressive run to the semifinals, defeating top pairs, but they were stopped by Korea’s Jin Yong and Seo Seung Jae.
