Satwik and Chirag outdone by world champs in tactical battle

The beating of inflated balloon sticks, blowing of trumpets and raucous cheering. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty – the only Indians to make the final day of the $850,000 BWF India Open – received a rousing welcome from a packed house at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Sunday.

- Sandip Sikdar

Buoyed by the crowd, the world No.2 pairing made a start that delighted the spectators, crushing world champions Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea in the first game. But playing a second successive final for the first time on the BWF World Tour -- they were runners-up last week in the Malaysian Open -- the fatigued pair could not maintain their level in the next 45 minutes to lose the final of the Super 750 tournament.

World No.3 Seo and Kang won 15-21, 21-11, 21-18 in 65 minutes to improve their record to 2-4 against the reigning Asian champions. This was the third consecutive final loss for the Indians, who had also lost in the final of the China Masters.

Cheering every point won, Satwik and Chirag were egged on by the crowd to win more points at the start. Though it was neck and neck to begin with, the second seeds pulled away and easily closed the game thanks to Satwik’s booming smashes and brilliant anticipation at the net by Chirag.