Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty powered their way into the men’s doubles final of the Singapore Open Super 750. The fourth-seeded Indian pair got the better of number-one-ranked Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, sealing a 21-19, 21-18 win in 52 minutes. The result also marked their first-ever victory over the reigning world champions and ensured their maiden appearance in a final at this level of the tournament.
The opening game was closely fought, with the Koreans edging ahead 13-11 at the mid-game interval. Despite the deficit, the Indian duo remained within striking distance and gradually shifted momentum in the closing stages, turning the contest in their favour to take the lead.
The second game followed a similar pattern of fluctuations. Satwik and Chirag trailed 11-14 at the interval as the Korean pair attempted to push the match into a decider. However, the Indians regrouped effectively, tightening their execution during key exchanges and responding with sustained pressure that allowed them to regain control.
From that point, Satwik and Chirag managed the contest with composure, closing out the match 21-18 to secure a historic entry into the final. The win also made them the first Indian men’s doubles pair to reach the title round of the Singapore Open. Meanwhile, their opponents in Sunday’s final will be decided from the clash between Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.
Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost in mixed doubles semis
Earlier in the tournament, India’s mixed doubles challenge came to an end in the semifinals. Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto fell short against Japan’s Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara, losing 16-21, 21-17, 13-21 in a match that swung across three games.
The Indian pair managed to level the contest after dropping the opening game, but were unable to maintain their intensity in the deciding set, bringing their campaign to a close despite a strong run through the draw.
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