Semifinal Heartbreak for Indian Duo in Hangzhou
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, saw their campaign at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals conclude in the semifinals on Saturday. The world number two duo suffered a hard-fought defeat to the Chinese pairing of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, the Paris Olympic silver medallists, with a final scoreline of 10-21, 21-17, 21-13 in 63 minutes in Hangzhou.
This loss was a reversal of fortunes from just four days prior, when the Indians had beaten the same opponents in a thrilling three-game encounter in the group stage. That match had ended 12-21, 22-20, 21-14 in 60 minutes in favour of Satwik and Chirag.
Fatigue and a Gruelling Schedule Take Their Toll
Chirag Shetty pointed to exhaustion as a key factor in the decisive third game. The Indians had come through a notoriously difficult 'Group of Death' unscathed, battling through three intense matches, including a late-night finish against Malaysia's Chia and Soh just before the semifinal.
"Last night we slept at 2.30. By the time we got done with the match, it was almost midnight," Chirag revealed to the BWF after the match. "Definitely, the third game outcome was surely a lot more due to our physical level because we were not as quick as in the first two. Our smashes really carried a lot of punch. And in the third set, we lost that."
He credited the Chinese pair for their performance but acknowledged the Indians simply ran out of steam for a fourth consecutive gruelling battle.
Familiar Follies and the Flick Serve Problem
Beyond fatigue, the match exposed a recurring technical challenge for the Indian pair: vulnerability to the flick serve. This was reminiscent of their loss at the World Championships semifinals earlier in the year against another Chinese pair.
In the crucial stages on Saturday, first Wang Chang and then Liang Weikeng used a mix of flick serves and low serves to disrupt the Indian defence and seize control. The confusion caused by this variation allowed the Chinese to race to a dominant 11-2 lead in the third game, a deficit from which a comeback is nearly impossible at this level.
"We practised mostly service-return. It's the main game in doubles... If the rally opens up, we know we are strong. But in the service situations, we are not there with the other top pairs yet. We are learning," Satwik had candidly admitted after their first match of the tournament.
A Rollercoaster Season Concludes
The semifinal exit brings the curtain down on a turbulent year for Satwik and Chirag. The first half was marred by injuries and personal setbacks, causing their world ranking to slip to as low as 27 at one point.
However, they fought back admirably in the latter part of the season. While they end the year without a title, they have reclaimed their place among the world's elite. Their key achievements include a World Championships bronze medal and this semifinal finish at the prestigious World Tour Finals, demonstrating improved consistency.
Reflecting on their resilience, Satwik said, "No matter what, just keep going. If I look back, we are so proud of how we came back this year and kept playing, playing, playing." The duo will now look to address their identified weaknesses and build on this platform as they set their sights on the Paris Olympics.
