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HS Prannoy and India’s top men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won their decisive matches at the China Master 2023 Super 750 tournament in Shenzhen. After a disappointing Day 2 for the Indian shuttlers, the trio managed to secure their place in the quarterfinals and keep their hopes for a title alive.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty recently became the first Indian doubles pair to reach the top spot in the world rankings. They are currently ranked no. 5.
In their pre-quarterfinal encounter against the Japanese pair of Akira Koga and Taichi Saito, the Indians played some incredible shots. They displayed exceptional coordination to secure a straight-game victory with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-16.
The first set saw close competition in the initial stages. However, Satwik-Chirag regrouped during the mid-game interval and dominated the latter part of the set, clinching it with a score of 21-15.
In the second set, the Indian duo asserted their dominance early on, establishing an early 5-1 lead. They maintained the momentum throughout the set, sealing it with a score of 21-16. They won the match with a final score of 21-15, 21-16, securing the quarterfinal berth after a 46-minute battle.
HS Prannoy, the world No. 8 in men's singles, also delivered an impressive performance against Danish opponent, Magnus Johannesen, in the pre-quarterfinals. He took control early in the first set and ultimately secured a comfortable 21-12 win.
The second set proved to be a bit more challenging, with both players fighting for the lead. Despite a resilient effort from Johannesen to level the scores at 15-15 after being 14-11 down, he could not stop Prannoy. The Indian shuttler found his rhythm once again and closed out the set with a 21-18 victory. He won the match 21-12, 21-18, in 40 minutes.
Satwik-Chirag and Prannoy’s quarterfinal encounters
Looking ahead, HS Prannoy faces a familiar opponent, Kodai Naraoka of Japan, in the men's singles quarterfinals.
He has a history with Naraoka, having faced him five times. Despite only winning one out of their previous five meetings, Prannoy has won the most recent one in straight sets. The upcoming clash promises to be a thrilling battle for a spot in the semifinals.
In the men's doubles category, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are set to take on Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin of Indonesia in the quarterfinals.
The Indian pair have a perfect record against their Indonesian opponents, winning all three of their previous encounters. As they aim for a top-four spot, Satwik-Chirag will look to capitalize on their winning streak and continue the impressive run they have had this year.
