India’s star men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have secured a spot in the semi-finals of the prestigious Malaysia Open 2025, a BWF World Tour Super 1000 event. The duo defeated Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in straight games, 26-24, 21-15, demonstrating their skill, resilience, and composure on the court.
A Thrilling Quarter-Final Victory
Satwik and Chirag were tested early, especially in the first game. Despite being on the brink of victory at 19-16, they faced a spirited comeback from the Malaysian pair, who levelled at 19-19 and even earned four game points at 21-20. However, the Indian duo displayed nerves of steel, saving all four game points to edge out the opening game 26-24.
In the second game, Ong and Teo led by three points at the mid-game interval, but the Indians rallied to level at 11-11 before building a slender 16-14 lead. From there, Satwik and Chirag closed the match in dominant fashion, winning five of the next six points to secure their victory.
Reflecting on their win, Satwik and Chirag said:
“Great start to the year, we couldn’t have started on a better note. We want to go as deep in the tournament as possible.”
Road to the Semi-Finals
- Round of 32: The pair defeated Lu Ming-che and Tang Kai-wei of Chinese Taipei in a hard-fought 21-10, 16-21, 21-5 victory.
- Round of 16: They dispatched Malaysia’s Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong in straight games.
- Quarter-Finals: Overcame Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in a commanding performance.
Next Challenge: South Korean Duo
In the semi-finals, Satwik and Chirag will face South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, a formidable unseeded duo. Kim is a Paris 2024 mixed doubles silver medallist, while Seo is the reigning world champion in men’s and mixed doubles.
Mixed Fortunes for Indian Contingent
While Satwik-Chirag have carried India’s hopes, other Indian players had disappointing campaigns:
- Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy exited in earlier rounds.
- PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, opted to skip the tournament.
Tournament Overview
The Malaysia Open, one of the most prestigious events on the BWF World Tour Super 1000 calendar, will conclude on Sunday. Satwik and Chirag, seeded seventh, will look to continue their stellar form and make history for India.
The focus now shifts to their semi-final showdown, with fans eagerly anticipating whether the duo can go all the way in the first Super 1000 event of 2025.