Malaysia Open Final: Satwik-Chirag Squander Lead, Go Down Fighting vs Liang-Wang

Kuala Lumpur: Indian duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced a narrow defeat in the men’s doubles final against world No. 1 Chinese pair Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 in Kuala Lumpur. Despite squandering an opening game advantage and an 11-7 lead in the decider, Satwik and Chirag displayed impressive strokeplay in the summit clash.

In a post-match statement, Satwik expressed satisfaction with their tournament performance but acknowledged a bit of disappointment in controlling nerves during crucial moments. He mentioned playing under more pressure than their opponents and making some avoidable mistakes. Satwik also hinted at seeking revenge in future encounters.

Chirag highlighted the tough conditions after the change of ends and mentioned Coach Mathias Boe’s advice to keep the racquet up and maintain foot movement. The Indian duo had faced Liang and Wang four times, losing three encounters in 2023, with their sole victory during the Korea Open Super 500 in the previous year.

The match started with the Indians dominating, taking a 5-1 lead, and securing the opening game 21-9. However, the Chinese pair staged a comeback in the second game, capitalizing on Indian errors to win 18-21. The decider saw a competitive start, but Liang and Wang eventually sealed the victory with a score of 17-21.

Despite the defeat, Satwik and Chirag showed promising form and will now shift their focus to the India Open Super 750 tournament in New Delhi starting on Tuesday. The Indian pair had previously claimed their maiden Super 1000 crown at the Indonesia Open in June.