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Sat-Chi registered a 25-23, 21-16 in a challenging 48-minute first-round encounter against Ko-Chi and Po Li-Wei of Chinese Taipei to move into the second round.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy – Chirag Shetty. (X)
The star Indian badminton duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the men’s doubles second round with a hard-fought straight-game victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chang Ko-Chi and Po Li-Wei at the Australian Open Super 500 tournament on Tuesday.
The world No. 3 Indian duo, who recently reached the finals at both the Hong Kong Super 500 and the China Masters Super 750, triumphed 25-23, 21-16 in a challenging 48-minute first-round encounter against Ko-Chi and Po Li-Wei.
In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand faced a 10-21, 14-21 defeat against Indonesia’s F Kusuma and M Puspitasari in their opening match.
Top seeds Satwik and Chirag initially trailed 2-6 in the first game, with the Taiwanese pair maintaining a slim lead until 16-14. The Indians then turned the tide to lead 19-17, but the game remained tightly contested.
A sharp net shot after an intense rally gave the Indians a game point, which the Taiwanese saved with a powerful smash. Chirag missed a chance to secure the game, allowing Ko-Chi and Li-Wei another game point, only for them to hit the net.
Satwik’s error handed the Taiwanese their third game point, which the Indians promptly saved. The Indians then earned another game point when their opponents hit the net and finally converted it as the Taiwanese faltered again at the net.
Satwik and Chirag established a 7-4 lead after the side change, but two net errors and a strong smash from the Taiwanese allowed them to catch up. The pairs split the next six points before an attempted smash went long, giving the Indians a one-point lead at the interval.
Satwik and Chirag maintained their momentum after the restart, extending their advantage to 18-15, and comfortably closed out the match with two superb smashes.
India’s singles players, including Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, and Ayush Shetty, will begin their campaign on Wednesday.
(With Inputs From Agenices)
November 18, 2025, 14:29 IST
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