Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty exit Malaysia Open in semi-finals

Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty's journey at the Malaysia Super 1000 tournament concluded in the semifinals. They were defeated by the Korean pair of Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
The seventh-seeded Indian pair, who were finalists in the previous edition, lost 10-21, 15-21 in a 40-minute match.
“They played really well, and we could have followed our game plan a bit better. Instead, we played some random strokes, but kudos to them for playing a solid game.”
Satwik acknowledged the Koreans' strong performance and admitted their own shortcomings in executing their strategy. He also praised the opponents' solid gameplay.
“Today, the pace of the game was very slow compared to the last three days. It’s part of the game. It was a valuable learning experience for us. It is disappointing, but we have a long way to go. Today’s match showed that we can still make it a good fight.”
Satwik reflected on the slower pace of the game compared to previous matches. He emphasized the learning experience and the positive takeaway of being competitive despite the loss.
The Asian Games champions faced an early setback, trailing 6-11 at the mid-game interval of the first game.
They couldn't recover from the deficit, and the Korean pair secured the first game swiftly in 19 minutes.
In the second game, Satwik and Chirag displayed improved control and intent. They took an 11-8 lead at the interval.
However, they lost momentum, enabling the Korean duo to regain control and win the match comfortably.
Kim and Seo have rejoined forces for the 2025 season after achieving success with different partners.
Seo won the world title with Kang Min Hyuk in 2023 and previously attained a world No. 7 ranking with Choi Sol Gyu. Kim secured a mixed doubles silver medal with Jeong Na-eun at the Paris Olympics.
“They both are playing like a mixed doubles pair now, which is making it tougher.”
Satwik humorously observed the playing style of the Korean pair, comparing it to a mixed doubles partnership, which posed a greater challenge.
“They are not giving away any easy points, and that’s their best quality. We have to work hard for every point, and that’s exactly what happened today.”
He highlighted the Koreans' strength of not conceding easy points, forcing them to work hard for every point.
Satwik, whose participation has been limited after the Paris Games due to injuries, suggested that a more assertive approach and mind games might have been beneficial.
“We were working really hard, but they were taking easy points whenever they wanted, which kept the pressure off them. In the first game, and even in the second, despite us leading, they maintained their confidence.”
Satwik pointed out that despite their efforts, the Koreans' ability to score easy points kept the pressure off them and maintained their confidence.
“They could take any point at any time. I think maybe some mind games could have worked here and there. We started a bit calmer, thought the game would come to us, but we could have shown a little more attitude on the court and played with a little more fire.”
He reflected on the need for a more aggressive and strategic approach from the start of the match.
“I think we started to be a little calmer in the second game. But credit to them, I think we gave away a few easy points from 11-8, but they were also serving quite well.”
Chirag acknowledged their calmer approach in the second game but credited the Koreans' serving and their own errors.
Satwik and Chirag haven't played extensively since the Olympics.
Their next tournament is the India Open Super 750, commencing on January 14. They will face Malaysia's Wei Chong Man and Kai Wun Tee in the first round.
“Really excited. It’s our home tournament and we would really want to go, play well there, and go as deep into the tournament as possible.”
Chirag expressed his excitement about playing in their home tournament and their aim to perform well and progress as far as possible.