Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty Advance to Semifinals at China Masters

Impressive Comeback by Indian Duo

Shenzhen [China], September 4: In a thrilling quarterfinal match at the China Masters, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showcased their resilience by defeating Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen with scores of 21-13, 16-21, 21-18.

The Indian pair started strong, quickly establishing a 15-5 lead in the first game, which they secured with ease. However, the Danish team fought back in the second game, turning a narrow deficit into a five-point lead by winning seven of the last eight points, forcing a decisive third game.

The final game mirrored the earlier rounds, with Astrup and Rasmussen initially leading 17-15. Yet, Rankireddy and Shetty elevated their performance at a crucial moment, clinching six of the last seven points to win the match and secure their spot in the semifinals.

On the other hand, former world number one Kidambi Srikanth's journey in the China Masters ended in the quarterfinals as he lost to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu with scores of 16-21, 16-21.

Despite showing moments of brilliance, Srikanth couldn't maintain his momentum, allowing Lee to finish the match in straight games.

Earlier in the tournament, both Srikanth and the men's doubles team of Rankireddy and Shetty delivered outstanding performances to reach the quarterfinals. Srikanth achieved a remarkable victory over Canadian World No. 9 Victor Lai, winning 21-18, 21-19.

In men's doubles, the former World No. 1 duo of Satwik and Chirag overcame France's Toma Junior Popov and Christo Popov with scores of 21-17, 22-24, 21-9.

Meanwhile, world No. 13 Lakshya faced a tough match against Canada's world No. 9 Victor Lai, suffering a defeat with scores of 21-14, 21-7, marking another inconsistent performance this season.