Satwik-Chirag enter Korea Open final

YEOSU: Sat-Chi, or Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, are continuing from where they left off in Indonesia. The world No. 3 pair defeated world number two Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China on Saturday to reach the Super 500 Korea Open final.

The BWF World Tour is divided into six levels, namely World Tour Finals, four Super 1000, six Super 750, seven Super 500, and 11 Super 300. One other category of the tournament, the BWF Tour Super 100 level, also offers ranking points.

It took Satwik-Chirag 40 minutes to win 21-15 24-22, their first victory over the Keng-Chang combo. In the final at Jinnam Stadium, they will take on either top seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia or Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae of Korea.

The Chinese duo had won both their previous matches against the Indians before but this time it was the turn of Satwik-Chirag to win. Typical of doubles, the rallies were quick and attack oriented. The early stages of the first game were close, with the teams tied at 3-3 and 5-5.

But then Satwik-Chirag opened up a 14-8 lead. They rode on it comfortably to pocket the first game. The second game continued at the same rhythm and there was little to separate the two pairs as the score was tied at 8-8. But once again the tall Indian combo streaked ahead, first to 11-8 and then to 14-9.

But there was no running away with the game this time for Satwik-Chirag, as the Chinese pair fought back and made it 18-18, and then 19-19. The oohs and aahs and cheers in the stadium reached a fever pitch as the two teams went level till 22-22.

Finally, on their fourth matchpoint, the Indian pair converted. Satwik made a crosscourt placement and celebrated with a jig.