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Tag: india open

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Left-right combination pairs present tricky challenge for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty

Some opponents irritate more than intimidate. Brushing off their annoyance can be altogether more satisfying and carries fewer frills of drama than overcoming an almighty fear. A cluck and half a grin, suffice; even scoffing is too much. No need to pen ballads to bravery here. A 21-7, 21-10 terse dismissal in 35 minutes on a fabulous Friday at Delhi got the job done.And so it was that the men’s doubles quarterfinals at India Open were wrapped up in a hurried haiku, without resorting to an overwrought Odyssey a week back. Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen are somewhat a bogey team for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty for a long time. It wasn’t that the Indians had never beaten the Danes, they famously did at the Thomas Cup. But half dozen losses lingered. The grudge-invent...
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Finals flourish goes missing for Satwik-Chirag as they stutter in third straight summit clash

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy had a formidable reputation. That when they go deeper in tournaments, they eventually win them. In 2022 and 2023, they won eight straight finals they contested on the circuit until China Masters late last year. It is a trend right from the start of their partnership except for the French Open in 2019.The run ended at the China Masters in November. Starting from that, the soon-to-be World No 1 pair have lost three straight finals. The latest defeat came on Sunday at the India Open Super 750 at the IG Stadium in Delhi. In a thrilling rollercoaster of a men’s doubles final, Satwik-Chirag went down 15-21, 21-11, 21-18 in a 65-minute battle against the reigning World Champions Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae. While losing three straight finals, and t...
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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty pair goes down in final of India Open | Badminton News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Star Indian duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a heartbreak at the India Open Super 750 tournament on Sunday as the pair went down in the final against world champions Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Sang Jae. It was the second final defeat for Satwik and Chirag after both had a runners-up finish at the Malaysia Super 1000 last week as well. In the national capital on Sunday, Satwik and Chirag, the Asian Games champions, lost 21-15, 11-21, 18-21 to Kang and Seo in a mouth-watering contest that lasted 65 minutes at the KD Jadhav Indoor stadium. The duo had won the tournament last year but ended runners-up on Sunday evening. Satwik and Chirag always had tough matches against their Korean rivals though they boasted a 4-1 head-to-head count in five meetings coming in...
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India Open Super 750: The artistry of Tai Tzu Ying, badminton’s Sorcerer Supreme

Some athletes are good at winning. Some athletes make winning look good. Only a select few can do both while elevating the level of the entire sport, playing off a textbook only they can read. Tai Tzu Ying is badminton’s best example.An Se Young, the world No 1 from Korea who is expected to dominate women’s singles for years to come, did something fascinating after defeating Tzu Ying at the All England Open semifinal in 2023. In what was the best matches of the year, An prevailed in three games, fell on her back in celebration, got up to rush to the net to greet Tzu Ying, pointed out to her red bandana and then to her opponent’s blue bandana, asking for an exchange. There couldn’t have been a better image to capture the potential passing of the baton. “I changed (the bandana) once, thin...
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What does Priyanshu Rajawat need to become a world beater in badminton

The losses that he collects in 2024 around the world, including at Delhi to HS Prannoy this past week, are going to protect Priyanshu Rajawat from the delusion of inevitable success that accompanies young Indians who are ridiculously talented. While his win against Lakshya Sen is the reassuring stat (and start) in the season that tells him he’s in with a chance to succeed internationally, with that same incredible talent. Stumbling at times, strutting at others, the youngster who turns 22 in a fortnight, is promising to keep Sen and Kidambi Srikanth on their toes in Olympic qualification season. At World No 30, he needs mammoth points to catch up to Top 16. But he’s one amongst only three shuttlers in the Top 30 to have played 17 or fewer tournaments in the previous year’s time. If his ...
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SatChi on a slaying spree as Indian pairing make India Open final

You wait for something for so long, and then it happens not once but repeatedly in quick succession. Like London buses, as the saying goes, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik for the third straight time after 8 consecutive losses. The second-seeded Indians defeated the Malaysians 21-18, 21-14 in 45 minutes to reach their second straight final on the BWF World Tour this year at the IG Stadium for the India Open.As a result of the win, Satwik and Chirag are set to return to the top of the world rankings in next week’s update as defending champions Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, currently occupying that spot, lost earlier in the event. The match was set up beautifully in terms of context. After having lost 8 straigh...
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HS Prannoy struggles to get going physically, bows out in semifinals of India Open

One of HS Prannoy’s targets for 2024 was to not just go deeper in tournaments but try and win titles. Frustratingly for him, that would not be at the India Open Super 750 as the country’s top singles shuttler bowed out in the semifinals 15-21, 5-21 on Saturday against world No 2 Shi Yu Qi at the IG Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Prannoy came into the match with a 2-5 Head-to-Head record against Shi but had won their last meeting at the Swiss Open. He started the opening game at a superb tempo, to get the crowd fired up early with a 3-0 lead. But neither player was giving the other an each in the early stages, with plenty of winners being hit and unforced errors weren’t winning points. Prannoy won a breathtaking rally to make it 14-14, which was easily the point of the match. A 37-shot exc...
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HS Prannoy bows out of India Open after loss in semis | Badminton News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Ace shuttler HS Prannoy crashed out of the India Open Super 750 tournament after being outplayed by world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi of China in the men's singles semifinal on Saturday.On the other hand, men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty entered the final after beating Malaysian pair of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik Prannoy suffered a straight-game loss in a lop-sided contest that lasted 42 minutes while Satwik and Chirag wrapped up the game with 21-18, 21-14 win in 45 minutesWorld No.9 Prannoy matched his Chinese rival in the first game at 14-14 but then gradually faded away as Shi Yu Qi dominated the proceedings and went on to win the contest 21-15, 21-5.Shi Yu Qi moved with ease across the court and played with patience and precision to outwit Prannoy, who...
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India Open Super 750: Satwik-Chirag pull out ‘mind tricks’ to avenge Worlds defeat and enter semifinals

Men’s doubles, in general, is fast and furious but the Danish duo of Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen have a knack to rush their opponents even more. When they are in the zone, they barely give breathing room between points and dictate the tempo. It’s something Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty know all too well. The Indian star duo have struggled in the past against them, most recently suffering a heartbreaking loss at the 2023 World Championships, a defeat that Satwik says gave him sleepless nights. But during the India Open Super 750 quarterfinal in Delhi on Friday, Satwik-Chirag produced a win that appeared dominant. The attacking brilliance reflected in the 21-7, 21-10 scoreline but the mental resolve is hidden between the lines. For instance, the Danes recovered dec...
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HS Prannoy rides wave of crowd support to counter tricky Wang; reaches India Open semifinal against Shi Yu Qi

The one consistent feature of HS Prannoy’s recent upturn of form on the international circuit is the number of firsts he has registered late in his career. A historic Thomas Cup gold medal. A first World Championship medal. A first Asian Games medal. A first title for him on the BWF World Tour.And continuing that trend, he has begun 2024 with his first-ever semifinal appearance at the India Open. It is a tournament with plenty of good memories for him. Playing and defeating his idol Taufik Hidayat, then facing Lee Chong Wei and pushing Viktor Axelsen. But the best result at India’s premier event for him was the quarterfinals against Wang Tzu Wei. On Friday, he pulled off a thrilling comeback after looking down and out in the decider to win 21-11, 17-21, 21-18 in 77 minutes at IG Stadium...
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HS Prannoy makes first semifinal at India Open; An Se Young out after aggravating knee injury | Badminton News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Ace shuttler HS Prannoy on Friday showcased great temperament and resilience to advance to the men's singles semis at the India Open Super 750 badminton tournament in the national capital. The 31-year-old, who last year bagged bronze medals at the Asian Games and World Championships, staged a brilliantly recovery after losing the second game to secure a 21-11, 17-21, 21-18 win over the 28th-ranked Wang Tzu Wei in a thrilling 77-minute clash.With the victory, Prannoy entered his first-ever India Open semifinal.Coming into the match with a 5-3 head-to-head count, Prannoy dished out an attacking game and constructed his rallies well, keeping his opponent to the back and often finishing points with steep smashes.One such smash took him to 11-4 at the interval.Trailing 4-13, Wang ...
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India Open Super 750: Prannoy overcomes gritty Priyanshu in all-India clash, Satwik-Chirag rectify a problem area in win over Taipei pair

After their first-round wins at the India Open Super 750, HS Prannoy and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty had a wish each. After defeating a tricky opponent in Chou Tien Chen, Prannoy said he wanted to stay alive in the tournament until closer to the weekend and was glad to finish the match in straight games so that he could remain fresher. For their part, Satwik-Chirag wanted to snap out of the recent habit they had developed of conceding a big lead in Game 2 after taking the openers, despite their ability to come back into the contest.Both those wishes came true on Thursday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi. They registered their respective wins on adjacent courts within two minutes of each other to reach the quarterfinals, albeit in a contrasting manner. Despite comin...
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‘He is low on confidence’: Lakshya Sen’s Mission Paris needs a reboot and the key lies in the mind

A year can be a long time in elite sport. In 2022, Lakshya Sen was enjoying a meteoric rise. Commonwealth Games gold medallist. World Team Championships gold at the Thomas Cup. Finalist at the prestigious All England. Title at the India Open. A career-high world ranking of No 6. But in 2023, he struggled. A solitary title at the Canada Open, but not much to write about either side of it.After he lost in the opening round at the India Open on Tuesday, he cut a dejected figure in front of the reporters. The first question was about his hopes of reaching the Olympics, and the answer was that he was still in the match zone and couldn’t speak about it. But it came across as someone who is searching for clues to a puzzle. That’s the toll the recent form, or lack thereof, has taken on Lakshya ...
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India Open 2024: For HS Prannoy and Co, home comfort calling as badminton’s top stars descend on New Delhi

Kunlavut Vitidsarn and An Se Young made a fine start to 2023, winning titles at the India Open. Few months down the line, the two of them would go on to be crowned World Champions in Copenhagen. As the race to Paris 2024 heats up, the two defending champions and reigning Worlds gold medallists will be back in New Delhi alongside a galaxy of badminton stars as the capital hosts the 2024 edition of the India Open Super 750 starting from Tuesday.The India Open has been the prime BWF event in the country for more than a decade, but last year saw a significant upgrade as the tournament was moved up to Super 750 status, just two levels below the top grade on the World Tour. For starters, as one of the six Super 750 events on the circuit, BWF mandates that a group defined by rankings as ‘Top C...
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Focus on Satwik-Chirag as home shuttlers look to dazzle at India Open | Badminton News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Expectations are running high as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lead the Indian challenge at the India Open super 750 badminton tournament, commencing on Tuesday.Eager to secure their first title of the new season, the duo, with an impressive record of six titles in 2023, has been a standout among Indian shuttlers. Their runner-up finish at the Malaysia Super 1000 has added to the anticipation as they aim to shine on home turf.The memories of the 2022 edition, where Satwik-Chirag and Lakshya Sen claimed titles, fuel hopes that Indian shuttlers can overcome the previous setbacks and showcase their prowess once again.Satwik and Chirag, having narrowly missed victory in the final in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, are expected to bring their A-game to the India Open, determin...
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Swiss Open 2023: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty win Swiss Open doubles title | Badminton News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The World Championships bronze medallist doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Sunday won the Swiss Open title, beating China's Ren Xiang Yu and Tan Qiang in straight games in the summit clash of the Super 300 badminton tournament in Basel. The second-seeded Indian pair capped off their impressive campaign by registering a 21-19, 24-22 win against the World No.21 Chinese pair in a contest which lasted 54 minutes. Satwik and Chirag played an attacking game while remaining solid in defence.It was the first title of the season for India with Satwik and Chirag putting to rest the disappointment of last week's All England Championships where they had exited in the second round.Overall, it was the fifth career world tour title for the Indian pair, who had cla...
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Lakshya Sen slips six places to World No. 25 in BWF rankings | Badminton News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Following his dismal outing at the All England Championship, ace Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen slipped six places to World No. 25 in the latest BWF men's singles rankings on Tuesday.Lakshya hasn't been in the best of form recently having made early exits from the Malaysia Open, India Open and German Open.The 21-year-old had reached a career-best world no. 6 in November last year but couldn't maintain the momentum in the current season.Last year, Sen had a rampaging run in the European circuit early in the season, winning the India Open and reaching the finals at Germany and All England.HS Prannoy continued to remain steady at number ninth spot, while Kidambi Srikanth regained his top 20 spot after climbing two positions.In women's singles, PV Sindhu stayed at the ninth spot, wh...
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Lakshya Sen loses in quarterfinals of Indonesia Masters | Badminton News – Times of India

JAKARTA: Lakshya Sen's impressive run in the Indonesia Masters Super 500 badminton tournament ended with a quarterfinal loss to Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie on Friday.World number 12 Sen squandered an opening game advantage to go down 21-15, 10-21, 13-21 to home favourite Christie, ranked 3rd, in a 62-minute men's singles match.Coming into the match with a 1-0 head-to-head record, Commonwealth Games champion Sen showed his prowess as he opened up a 8-5 lead and maintained it at the break.Christie knocked off the three-point deficit after resumption and made it 15-15 before the Indian reeled off six straight points to pocket the opening game.After the change of sides, Sen lost his grip on the match as Christie looked like a different player, zooming to 11-2 in a jiffy before lev...
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The New Year Wishlist for Badminton: An Indian sweep of podiums

India really did win the Thomas Cup, didn’t they? That men’s World Cup of badminton. Like, you will wake up in a brand new 2023 and it’ll still ring true: India, Thomas Cup Champions. The wonder will never cease to amaze, never mind the flicking turn of a calendar page. Though, in the 2023 edition, it will be the World Against Us, nee World against India. But that mid-summer’s-day dream-come-true, suddenly changes how you view that challenge going forward: the Indian team can go out there and achieve anything. For far too long, the Thomas Cup was about watching from a distance, as China, Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia, and recently Japan, went about fighting like multi-pronged teams for the team title. On #Diwali relive India's epic Thomas Cup victory. 🇮🇳 🏆 Part 1️⃣ 👉 https://t.co/kKkiL...