French Open: Satwik-Chirag roll into semis, PV Sindhu falls in thrilling quarterfinal clash with Chen

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty progressed to the men's doubles semifinals with a victory in straight sets, while PV Sindhu's journey ended in the women's singles quarterfinals at the French Open Super 750 badminton event on March 8.

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Satwik-Chirag gun down Supak-Kittinupong

The top-ranked Indian duo, champions of the 2022 title, advanced to the semifinals after defeating Thailand's Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren, ranked 32nd in the world, with scores of 21-19, 21-13 at the Arena Porte de la Chapelle.

After overcoming a Malaysian pair the previous night, the Asian Games gold medalists are set to face world champions and third seeds Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae next. The Korean pair had bested the Indians in the India Open final earlier in January.

Earlier, Sindhu, returning from a four-month injury hiatus, displayed her skill and stamina in a grueling match that lasted one hour and 32 minutes against Olympic gold medalist Chen Yu Fei of China.

Despite a valiant effort, the two-time Olympic medalist Sindhu was edged out by the second-seeded and reigning champion Chen in a closely-fought quarterfinal, with scores of 24-22, 17-21, 18-21.

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Sindhu crashes in quarters

Sindhu, the last victor against Chen during her 2019 World Championships gold journey, has since faced two defeats against the Chinese player, though holding a slight 6-5 head-to-head advantage before this critical match.

Competing against a top-tier opponent for the first time in a while, Sindhu showed no signs of her previous knee injury, maintaining a competitive edge throughout the game. However, Chen managed to stay slightly ahead, utilizing a mix of high tosses and lifts to control the rally dynamics.

The match featured intense rallies, with Sindhu attempting to increase the tempo. However, a few errors and Chen's strategic plays gave the Chinese player the upper hand at crucial moments.

Despite these challenges, Sindhu demonstrated resilience and skill, particularly with precise drops and cross-court shots. Yet, Chen's consistent performance and Sindhu's occasional unforced errors ultimately led to the Indian's defeat.

Throughout the decider, both players exchanged leads, but Chen's strategic shots and Sindhu's missed opportunities allowed the Chinese to secure the match, ending an epic battle.

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