Malaysia Open Super 1000: All-out offence against Chinese pair takes Satwik-Chirag into first semifinal of the year

android, malaysia open super 1000: all-out offence against chinese pair takes satwik-chirag into first semifinal of the year

Malaysia Open Super 1000: All-out offence against Chinese pair takes Satwik-Chirag into first semifinal of the year

It’s the sort of scorching form Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were in at the Korea Open last year. Where they were tearing oppositions to shreds, while not sheathing their attack or tempering it with caution. Just pure, blistering two-pronged offence as they seemed to be flying often. In a similar vein, the opponents couldn’t stem the floods at the Super 1000 Malaysia Open, one of the Tour’s four big ones, as the 2024 season begins.

He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu of China might have been dismissed 21-11, 21-8 in 35 minutes by the ruthless Indians. But theirs was an exhausting siege when aided by fast-court conditions at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur. The Indians didn’t hold back, from start to a crisp finish.

Only for 3 points at the start of the second game did the Chinese lead in the match, but both games had 7-point barrages from the Indians when the shuttle just fell around Chinese feet like thunderbolts as He-Ren twisted and turned and ultimately were left deluged by the raining smashes.

Satwik didn’t start tentative like he usually does, and his bolting out of the blocks and taking charge even in the front court meant the Chinese never settled. They had little time for prologues or dramatic detours of trading leads. Jump-hit-serve was their repeat settings for the day.

The Indians took the drift out of the equation by slam-dunking to the centre of the court, so that the lines didn’t come into the picture. But it was the confidence with which they smashed down the middle, the sharp steepness and slashing speed that gave the Chinese no defensive opportunities to free themselves out of corners. They looked clueless at 10-1 down in the opener, and by the time it was 14-4 in the second, they were drained of colour.

The count of forced lifts from the Indians will read in lower single digits, and almost 80 percent for the Chinese. Perhaps one such came at 14-6 in the opener, right after the Chinese had begun to crawl back towards trying to make this a contest. They sent Chirag scurrying around on his long lateral strides and even rushed Satwik with two returns. The pace had been blistering, so Satwik did the smart thing by sending the shuttle into a quality high lift – earning some time to organise their defence. The Indians regrouped immediately and Chirag turned the tables by baiting both Chinese to the left, even as Satwik killed off the point with a slash to the right.

In the shorter rallies, the Indians snapped the Chinese shut with one-leg hop-smashes. It’s the sort of scarring loss that pushes Chinese pairs back to the drawing board.

World champions next

When things are going swimmingly well, the threat of jeopardy on the following day is to be expected. It comes in the form of Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae, the low-key reigning World champions.

That Seung-jae, who won world titles in both doubles and mixed in 2023, has chosen to focus solely on men’s doubles means things are getting serious. The Indians enjoy a 3-1 head-to-head against the pairing that poses little visible threat, but the Koreans are just the sort of combination to trip up the confident duo, if the Indians don’t watch out for the slantways threats.

The Koreans typically don’t enjoy these conditions, but this pairing adapts as well as the Chinese Liang-Wang. They are a left-right combination, and after the last World Championships loss to Astrup-Rasmussen, the Indians need to be on a perennial vigil against the left-right combination of angles.

Chirag will be drawn into battles more by the Koreans than the Chinese, and with their sturdier defence, they will not allow a demolition job like on Friday. Chirag’s net game meets its match in the Koreans and he will need to patiently read their patterns, though past match-ups haven’t proven especially challenging. But heading into a Thomas Cup summer, and given how sticky it got in the last faceoff, expect the Koreans to be a handful.

They are world champions for a reason, and Seung-jae’s bag of tricks is infinite. Mathias Boe will have a task on his hands in getting the Indians to persist with their hit-all offence even when the Koreans send everything back. Seo-Kang cannot be blitzed like the Chinese, and Indians are capable of operating with wildly different playing styles, but Satwik remains the key as does Chirag’s poise at the net.

Each of the four matches against the Koreans – even if Indians won 3 of them – got tight towards the end. The last game scores read 23-21, 20-22, 21-19 and 21-18, with things getting very interesting around the 17-point mark. Seo-Kang keep their fighting best for the last, and the current World Nos.3 will not allow an easy ride to the Indians. A quarterfinal was taken with brutal ease, but the semifinal will not be at all pleasant, even as Satwik-Chirag aim for their first final of the season.

In their quarterfinals to silence the Malaysian crowd, Seo-Kang lulled Aaron-Soh into believing they were cruising, before they flipped the result in a three-game contest. Satwik-Chirag lost just one semifinal in 2023 out of 7 Saturdays, and that was at the Malaysia Open. They will hope 2024 starts better.

For the latest news from across India, Political updates, Explainers, Sports News, Opinion, Entertainment Updates and more Top News, visit Indian Express. Subscribe to our award-winning Newsletter Download our App here Android & iOS

OTHER NEWS

5 minutes ago

Chris Donnelly: Change is happening and we must be prepared

5 minutes ago

When do the Proteas play next in the T20 World Cup?

5 minutes ago

Monday's analyst calls: Nike price target trim, Best buy gets an upgrade

5 minutes ago

Israel warns of 'devastating consequences' as spike in fire with Lebanon risks wider conflict

5 minutes ago

Big Tech antitrust bill nears reintroduction on Capitol Hill — but could be thwarted by key Democrats

5 minutes ago

U.S. government cites Trump's privacy over Prince Harry's visa

5 minutes ago

I met my two long lost siblings for the first time at 77 and now I finally feel whole

5 minutes ago

Desperate times call for desperate measures! Three-legged lion makes a record-breaking one-mile swim across a crocodile-infested river - after hearing females on the other side

5 minutes ago

There are SIX types of depression, say experts - which could explain why antidepressants don't work for some

5 minutes ago

Video: Erik ten Hag delivers scathing assessment of Gareth Southgate's 'vision' after nervy win over Serbia as Man United boss criticises England manager's negative approach

5 minutes ago

Video: Superman Jude Bellingham was so good he overshadowed a team who didn't excel. OLIVER HOLT on England's heart, soul and engine in the 1-0 Euros opening win over Serbia

5 minutes ago

Latrell Mitchell reveals how he will approach NSW Origin teammate Spencer Leniu with pair set for awkward showdown after explosive racism row earlier this season

11 minutes ago

Warrington Borough Council credit rating withdrawn amid near-£2bn debts

11 minutes ago

Caitlin Clark Reveals Special Courtside Guest Before Angel Reese Showdown

11 minutes ago

Liverpool leapfrog Man Utd with £43m defender bid, as star chooses next club

11 minutes ago

Uber and Lyft are fighting minimum wage laws. But in this state, the drivers won

11 minutes ago

Social Security Payments to Go Out Earlier Than Usual

11 minutes ago

Napoli hit out at agent of €100m star after Victor Osimhen Instagram rant

13 minutes ago

From hell to Hollywood: Irish mum's 'harrowing' mission to save daughter abducted by dad to Syria set for movie with Nicola Coughlan

14 minutes ago

Donald Trump's Fortunes Reversed in Two Battleground States

14 minutes ago

Behind closed doors: How a prominent Gazan family kept three Israeli hostages in secret

14 minutes ago

Midfielder Bongani Zungu has attracted interest from PSL clubs after leaving PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns

14 minutes ago

S Club 7 star Rachel Stevens says falling for Dancing on Ice star led to marriage split

14 minutes ago

Restore the power grid | Large parts of Joburg without power

14 minutes ago

Tory candidate uses red posters with no mention of Conservatives

14 minutes ago

Coalition secures top posts

20 minutes ago

I met my two long lost siblings for the first time at 77 and now I finally feel whole

20 minutes ago

WHSmith urgently recalls vegan sandwich just days after 60 other food products were pulled from supermarket shelves amid increasing E.coli contamination fears

20 minutes ago

When the Duchess of Westminster had to hold on to her veil during a strong blast of wind and all the other times the Royal family have had to battle with the breeze - as these pictures show...

21 minutes ago

Apple supplier TDK says battery breakthrough can deliver higher performance for wearable devices

21 minutes ago

Supersub Wout Weghorst scores late again in Netherlands’ win over Poland at Euro 2024

21 minutes ago

Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on Juneteenth 2024? Here's what to know

21 minutes ago

Soccer-Italy see off Albania after record early scare

22 minutes ago

Israeli officials say Netanyahu has dissolved the War Cabinet after key partner bolted government

22 minutes ago

Biden's reelection team launches $50 million ad campaign before the first debate

22 minutes ago

China keeps lending rate unchanged as data show housing market is still struggling

22 minutes ago

Unsafe levels of vomiting and diarrhoea-causing bacteria E. coli found at blue flag beaches

22 minutes ago

Kylian Mbappe’s glittering career is full of European heartbreak - will Euro 2024 change that?

22 minutes ago

Everything we know about badly injured runaway cow and the suspended Surrey police officer who mowed it down

22 minutes ago

Kylian Mbappe urges youth to vote against ‘extremes’ in French elections