Denmark Open: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty down Indonesian pair to roll into semifinal

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Denmark Open: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty down Indonesian pair to roll into semifinal
India's star shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (L) and Chirag Shetty int his frame

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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have advanced to the Denmark Open semifinal

Satwiksairaj and Chirag got the better of Indonesia's Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Rahmat Hidayat

The star Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have stormed into the semifinals of the Denmark Open, a Super 750 badminton tournament. The sixth-seeded duo secured their spot after a hard-fought quarterfinal victory against the unseeded Indonesian pair of Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Rahmat Hidayat. Satwik and Chirag won the tense, 65-minute battle with a scoreline of 21-15, 18-21, 21-16.

Satwiksairaj and Chirag started the match against the Indonesian duo of Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Rahmat Hidayat with composure, dominating the proceedings in the first game. A key moment came at the 11-10 mark when the Indians remained patient during a mid-court rally, eventually forcing an error from their opponents to extend their lead. This dominance allowed them to comfortably seal the opener 21-15.

However, the Indonesians mounted a strong comeback in the second game, managing to level the match with a 21-18 victory. Although the Indian pair appeared to be struggling, they continued to fight hard until the very end. The decisive third game was an intense affair, with both teams minimizing unforced errors and battling fiercely for every point; rallies in the decider averaged around 35 shots. Despite the pressure, Chirag and Satwik managed to establish a lead and ultimately clinched the victory over the tough Indonesian challengers.

The Indian duo was forced to work hard across all three games, yet they successfully held their nerves during crucial moments. They relied on their trademark combination of aggressive net play and strong court coverage to maintain control and secure their progression. Having already dispatched Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei in the previous round, Satwik and Chirag will now head into the semifinals, chasing their first BWF World Tour title of 2025. They had previously reached the finals of both the Hong Kong Open and the China Masters earlier this year, but lost on both occasions.

To reach the quarterfinals, the Indian duo had defeated Scotland's Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley, followed by the Chinese Taipei pair of Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in their opening two rounds. Satwik and Chirag will next face the winner of the quarterfinal match between the eighth-seeded Chinese pair of Chen Bo Yang and Yi Liu and the Japanese duo of Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi. Later in the day, India's Lakshya Sen is also scheduled to play his men's singles quarterfinal against seventh seed Alex Lanier of France.