China Masters 2025 Final: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty Settle for Silver Medal After Suffering Straight Games Defeat to Kim Won Ho and SEO Seung Jae
At Shenzhen Arena, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced a stern test against world number one and recently crowned World Champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea. Despite putting in the hard yards, the Indian duo failed to complete the quest and went down with a 19-21, 15-21 defeat in a contest that lasted for 45 minutes.
Beijing [China], September 21: India's highly rated men's pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty once again saw the gold medal slip out of their grasp after they came up short in the final at the China Masters on Sunday.
At Shenzhen Arena, Satwik and Chirag faced a stern test against world number one and recently crowned World Champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea. Despite putting in the hard yards, the Indian duo failed to complete the quest and went down with a 19-21, 15-21 defeat in a contest that lasted for 45 minutes. Hong Kong Open 2025: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty Fall Short in Final, Lose to Chinese Pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang (Watch Video).
Last week, the duo settled for a runner-up spot at the Hong Kong Open 2025 after fumbling against China's Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang. At the end of August, Satwik and Chirag had to make do with a bronze medal at the BWF World Championships after suffering a heartbreak in the semi-final against Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China. The pattern once again continued for the duo.
In a final that was decided in straight games, the South Korean pair raced to a 0-3 lead in the opening game, but Satwik and Chirag chopped down the deficit to restore parity at 3-3. In the fast-paced rallies, the Indian pair thrived with their attacking intent and quickly gained a 10-7 lead.
The Indian pair went from strength to strength and established a handy 14-7 advantage. The unforced errors came back to haunt them as the South Korean's mounted an imposing comeback. Kim and Seo relentlessly pursued their opposition and caught up to them at 15-all. The world number one pair reclaimed their lead at 18-19 and eventually wrapped up the game to go 1-0 ahead. Ayush Shetty Switches Badminton Racquet Mid-Rally and Wins Point Against Su Li-Yang During Hong Kong Open 2025 (Watch Video).
The second game bore a resemblance to its predecessor, with Satwik and Chirag enjoying a slender advantage at 8-6. However, once again, the South Korean shuttlers turned the tide after the halfway mark. With precision and a delightful drop shot, the path for gold was clear. Satwik pushed his return serve long, handing the crown to Kim and Seo. The Indian pair was forced to reflect on another silver lining finish in the quest for the top honours. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)