India's top men's doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, continued their strong run by storming into the semifinals of the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament on September 19. The former world number one duo, who recently won a bronze at the World Championships and were runners-up at the Hong Kong Open, delivered a dominant performance in their quarterfinal match. They defeated China's Ren Xiang Yu and Xie Haonan with a convincing score of 21-14, 21-14.
Satwik and Chirag, currently ranked ninth in the world, are now set to face their rivals and second-seeded pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia, in the semifinals on Saturday. Meanwhile, PV Sindhu's challenging run against Olympic champion An Se Young continued. The double Olympic medalist was knocked out of the tournament after suffering her eighth consecutive defeat against the world number one from Korea, losing in the women's singles quarterfinals with a score of 14-21, 13-21.
India's men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, started their quarterfinal match with incredible momentum, quickly building a 7-0 lead with a barrage of powerful smashes. Although the Chinese duo, Ren Xiang Yu and Xie Haonan, managed to narrow the gap, the Indians maintained their aggressive rhythm to secure an 11-5 lead at the mid-game break. Despite their opponents' efforts to change the pace with quick rallies, the Indian pair stayed sharp and in control, using a mix of precise serves and powerful strokes to eventually win the first game.
The second game was more competitive at the start, with the score tied at 7-7. However, Satwik and Chirag's disciplined net play and sharp smashes allowed them to pull ahead, giving them an 11-9 advantage at the interval. After the break, they intensified their attack, with Chirag delivering two back-to-back smashes to extend their lead to 19-13. The Indian pair continued their aggressive approach, sealing the match on their first match point with another decisive stroke.
Meanwhile, Sindhu's struggles against Olympic champion An Se Young continued, with the Korean dominating their match from the very beginning. Sindhu got off to a slow start, falling behind 1-6. While she managed to narrow the deficit with a delicate drop shot, An Se Young responded with her signature powerful smashes, building an 11-5 lead at the mid-game break. Despite Sindhu's efforts to close the gap, the Korean remained in control and easily won the first game.
In the second game, Sindhu briefly took a 3-2 lead, but An Se Young quickly regained her composure and pulled ahead. The Indian attempted to switch to a more aggressive, attacking style, closing the gap to 7-8. However, An Se Young’s superior deception and shot variety proved too much, allowing her to take an 11-7 lead into the interval. After the break, the Korean extended her lead to 14-7 and never looked back. While Sindhu managed to score a few points with some well-placed shots, An Se Young was consistently a step ahead, ultimately earning eight match points before winning the match.