The sensational duo fo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty failed to add another historic feather in their caps after failing to win the Malaysian Open 2024 final. The Indian shuttlers lost to the Chinese pair of Liang Weikeng & Wang Chang in the final showdown on Sunday.
After winning the initial game 21-9 in a brief 13 minutes, the Indian duo faced a strong comeback from the world champions, resulting in a leveled score of 18-21 and leading to a decisive third game. Despite initially holding a 3-10 lead in the final game, the Indian pair allowed the world’s top-ranked duo to stage a comeback, ultimately losing the final game 21-17.
In an earlier match, the Indian duo secured a victory over the Korean pair Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae with a score of 21-18, 22-20 in straight games. This achievement marked the first time any Indian pair, across any discipline, reached the final of the Malaysia Open in the Open Era since 1983.
🇮🇳🏸 RUNNERS-UP! Facing the World’s No. 1 Men’s Doubles pair was no easy feat, but Satwik and Chirag gave it their all in a fierce battle.
🙌🏻 Chin up, champs!
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— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) January 14, 2024
Satwik and Chirag, who have been highly successful on the international circuit, claimed victories such as the Asian Games gold, titles in the Asian Championship, Indonesian Super 1000, Korea Super 500, and Swiss Open Super 300 in the past year. They also reached the finals of the China Masters Super 750 in November.
Making history, the Indian pair had become the first duo from India to reach the final of the Malaysian Open in any discipline since 1983.
Satwik and Chirag were just one step away from securing their second Super 1000 title, having previously triumphed at the Indonesian Open in June of the preceding year.
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