In a poignant culmination to the Indian Open 2024, the Men's Doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced another heart-wrenching defeat in the final. The duo battled fiercely against the reigning Men’s Doubles World Champions from Korea, Kang Min Hyuk, and Seo Seung Jae, in a captivating three-set thriller at the packed KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi on Sunday, January 21.
Indians Take First Set
The highly anticipated match lived up to expectations, with both pairs locked at 8-8 in the initial stages of the first game. However, the Indian duo managed to secure a slight lead, reaching the mid-game interval at 11-9. The Koreans attempted a comeback, but the second-seeded Indians persisted, extending their lead to 18-13 and eventually clinching the first set 21-15 in just 17 minutes.
Usual Patterns for Sat-Chi
Despite having a historical 4-1 head-to-head record against the Koreans, Sat-Chi found themselves trailing 1-5 at the beginning of the second set. The Indian pair struggled to maintain focus, committing unforced errors and losing six consecutive points, resulting in an 11-21 defeat in the second set.
Concede Early in the Third Set
In the deciding set, after an initial 3-3 tie, the Indians conceded a 3-7 lead. Although a successful challenge narrowed the gap to 4-6, the Koreans gained momentum and led 11-6 at the mid-game interval. The Indians displayed courage and smart play, briefly shifting momentum to make it 10-12, but the Koreans ultimately secured the third set 21-18.
Even Miracle Shots Not Enough
Despite impressive plays, including a miraculous return by Rankireddy and a net shot conversion by Chirag, the Indian duo fell short. Kang and Seo claimed the Indian Open men’s doubles title with a three-set victory: 15-21, 21-11, and 21-18, avenging their semi-final loss at the Malaysian Open earlier in the month.
Japanese Duo Overcome Lack of Confidence to Win Women's Doubles Title
In an earlier event, the Women's Doubles final saw Japan's Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara triumph over Chinese duo Zhang Shu Xian and Zheng Yu. The Japanese pair secured the title in straight sets, 21-12, 21-13, marking their victory at the India Open 2024. Matsumoto and Nagahara acknowledged overcoming a lack of confidence, expressing their happiness at winning the gold medal and the renewed confidence they felt throughout the match.
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