New Delhi: India’s top men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out of the BWF World Tour Finals after a hard fought semifinal defeat to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in Hangzhou. Despite winning the opening game, the Indian duo could not sustain the momentum and went down 21-10, 17-21, 13-21 in a contest that lasted just over an hour.
Satwik and Chirag had earlier beaten the same Chinese pair in the group stage and entered the semifinal unbeaten. However, when it mattered most, the home favourites regrouped and turned the match in their favour. The defeat denied the Indians a place in the final, though they still achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Indian men’s pair to reach the semifinals of the season ending tournament.
The Indians began confidently, matching the Chinese point for point early in the first game before gradually taking control. Targeting Liang with sharp serves and aggressive third shot play, Satwik and Chirag built a healthy lead at the interval. Satwik’s presence at the net and Chirag’s powerful smashes helped India reel off a long run of points, allowing them to close out the opening game comfortably.
The momentum shifted in the second game as China tightened their play and capitalised on a few unforced errors from the Indians. Although Satwik and Chirag fought back to level the score midway, small lapses in decision making proved costly. The Chinese pair maintained a narrow advantage and eventually forced a decider.
The third game saw China seize complete control. Wang Chang dominated the front court while Liang unleashed a series of steep smashes from the back. The Indians struggled to cope with the pace and deceptive serves, falling far behind early. Though they managed a brief recovery late in the game, the gap proved too wide to bridge.
After the match, Chirag admitted fatigue played a role in the final set. He said the pair lacked sharpness and explosiveness after a long and physically demanding schedule, adding that the power and intensity they showed earlier in the match were missing in the decider.
Despite the semifinal exit, Satwik and Chirag’s performance across the tournament underlined their status among the world’s elite and marked another important step forward for Indian men’s doubles on the global stage.
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