New Delhi [India], January 16 : Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showcased resilience and determination as they secured a hard-fought victory in the men's doubles pre-quarterfinals at the India Open Super 750 tournament. The pair defeated Japan's Hiroki Okamura and Kenya Mitsuhashi 20-22, 21-14, 21-16 to advance to the next round.
The match began with a setback for the Indian pair as they dropped the first game despite their efforts.
Reflecting on the opening set, while talking to the reporters, Chirag said, "...A few errors cost us the first game. The last time when we played them (Japanese badminton players Hiroki Okamura and Kenya Mitsuhashi), we managed to beat them in two straight sets...But we made a comeback and didn't give them a chance in the 2nd and 3rd games..."
Satwiksairaj admitted that losing the first game added pressure but credited their ability to adapt and push through.
"I was wondering after the first game that we have to play two more sets to beat them. It's always challenging to play three sets when you're playing back-to-back tournaments," he told the reporters.
The Japanese duo posed a strong challenge, with Satwik acknowledging their fighting spirit. "We were too comfortable going into the 1st game. They had a fighting spirit...We are lucky to be on the winning side," he added.
Despite the demanding nature of the match, Satwik and Chirag displayed their trademark composure and teamwork to take control in the second and third games, securing a well-deserved win.
The victory propels the Indian pair into the quarterfinals, where they will look to continue their strong run in the tournament, building on the momentum from this hard-fought win.
Former champion PV Sindhu rekindled memories of her old aggressive self while up and coming Kiran George kept his nerves under pressure to register straight game wins to advance to the quarter-finals of the India Open 2025.
Sindhu, playing only her second tournament since the Paris Olympics, hammered Japan's Manami Suizu 21-15, 21-13 while Kiran defeated Frenchman Alex Lanier 22-20, 21-13 in the men's singles second-round clash.
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