China Masters 2023: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty Storm into Semis with Dominant Win

Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured a spot in the semifinals of the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament with a convincing straight-game victory over Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin. The top-seeded Indian duo, who have previously triumphed in the Indonesia Super 1000, Korea Super 500, and Swiss Super 300 tournaments this year, demonstrated their attacking prowess to defeat the world no. 13 Indonesian pair 21-16, 21-14 in just 46 minutes.

Satwik and Chirag, former world number one, showcased excellent coordination by frequently switching positions and varying the direction of their attacks, creating difficulties for their Indonesian opponents. The match started evenly, but the Indian pair took control at 14-14 with a barrage of attacking shots. Chirag’s strategic decisions and aggressive play helped them secure a 19-16 lead, and he closed out the match with a quick return.

In the second game, the Indian duo maintained momentum, establishing a 5-2 lead early on. Despite a few errors, they held a 7-5 advantage with Satwik delivering a strong return. A series of smashes propelled them to an 11-6 lead at the interval. The Indonesians struggled to match the relentless Indian attack, falling behind 17-10. The match’s longest rally, spanning 48 shots, saw a precise smash from Marthin, but the Indians remained in control at 17-10. Satwik and Chirag secured a comfortable 21-14 victory in the second game, advancing to the semifinals.

The Indian pair will now face the winner of the quarterfinal match between Chinese pairs He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu and eighth seeds Liu Yu Chen and Ou Xuan Yi. Satwik and Chirag are poised to continue their impressive performance after winning a video referral to confirm their place in the semifinals.