The stage is set after Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the men’s doubles final of the India Open. The momentum is with the Indian pair and so are an exultant crowd. The Sat-Chi duo dominated the game against Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, the 2022 world champions, winning 21-18, 21-14. Although the star duo gave the fans some incredible memories, disappointment was also on the supporters’ menu as HS Prannoy bowed out of the tournament after being defeated by Shi Yuqi, the world No. 2 from China, in the semi-finals.
For the Latest Sports News: Click Here
After a straight game 21-18, 21-14 win vs Chia/Soh, #SatChi have reached the final of the #IndiaOpen2024.
They’ve praised the fans for their support till late night. Shared thoughts on their on-court coordination and more! @gargiraut15‘s report after the game.
In the final… pic.twitter.com/86ryd8KtJ0
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) January 21, 2024
If there’s something that has stood out during the duration of the tournament, it is the crowd support. Since the very first day of the tournament, fans have arrived in large numbers to cheer on the Indian shuttlers. This, despite the fact that in the quarters and semi-finals, Prannoy and the Sat-Chi duo were scheduled to play late in the night. The crowd stood in unison and bore the freezing cold, which was somehow worse inside the stadium.
Even when there wasn’t an Indian shuttler on the court, the crowd did well to support their international favourites. Many top-ranked internationals bowed their heads in respect to the fans for cheering them on once their matches had ended. Looking forward to the finals, the crowd is only expected to get bigger.
Satwik and Chirag, high on confidence, will be looking to clinch a second India Open title on Sunday as they take on the South Korean duo of Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae. They are ranked No. 3 in the men’s doubles, and had defeated Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 21-19, 21-14 in the first semi-final. All eyes will be on the Indian pair as they progress on the road to the Olympics, looking to gain as much momentum as possible. They are showing positive signs and the crowd is in for a cracker of a match and a high-quality contest.
Also Read: Ranchi and hockey fans have a strong bonding as FIH qualifiers showed