A nice day for India: Two finals and two titles for India. Satwik-Chirag with a win over the Daddies and then Sen with a win over the World Champion.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 21-17
Lakshya Sen has beaten the World Champion to win his first India Open crown. Very steady play, very consistent play by Sen. Loh was not at his best but one might argue Sen did let him get there either.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 20-17
A great shot by Lakshya and he has earned himself three championship points.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 19-17
Emphatic winner followed by an error.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 18-16
Lovely crosscourt drop shot by Loh makes it a two-point game.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 18-15
Good judgement from Sen. Loh sends one long. Almost thre. Sen needs to keep calm now.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 17-15
Sen sends it long and then takes a strange review. Well out it was. The Indian needs to be careful here.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 17-14
Nice, quick flat drives from Sen and he breaks Loh’s run of points.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 16-14
Three points in a row for Loh and we have a two-point game. Sen getting his finger looked at again.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 16-11
Nice down the line smash makes it a five-point lead. Superb stuff. Loh just not being allowed to get into this.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 14-11
Sen brings out a big smash to keep the gap at three points.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 13-10
That is how Loh has played today. A succession of smashes earns him a point but then an error. Very up-and-down from the World Champion.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 11-9
Super defence from Loh but Sen prevails to take the point and the lead at the mid-game interval. Loh has almost seemed a bit too casual at times and he will have to get in the groove in the second half of Game 2.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 10-8
What an error from Loh! A short lift and Loh hit the jump smash right into the net.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 8-8
Tight battle at the moment. No player managing to pull ahead. Back and forth.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 7-6
Now Sen takes the lead. The lift from Loh was short and Sen finishes the point off with a steep smash.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 6-6
Loh taking things a little easy and Sen punishes him to keep things level. Vital phase of play this.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 5-5
Back level. Nice run of points for Sen. Keeps things in balance.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 4-5
Loh fails to find the far corner, sends it just wide and then an error at the net makes it 4-5.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 1-4
Loh moving much, much better now. Sen cannot allow him to run away to a big lead now.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22, 1-1
Loh was the better player towards the end of the first game and important for Sen to start this game well.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22
Really tight contest there. Lakshya getting some treatment on his right hand, seems to have scraped his little finger.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 24-22
An error in judgement from Loh and the home favourite wins the first game. Sen controlled the proceedings very well in the first half but Loh came back strongly in the second half and was the first player to get a game point. But in the end, Sen prevailed.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 23-22
Loh sends it wide. Second game point for Sen now. Long rallies now. High-quality rallies.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 22-22
Level again. Really tense stuff.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 21-22
Fine finish at the net and Loh has another game point. He just seems to be moving better now. Properly warmed up. Important for Sen to win this.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 21-21
A body smash helps Loh level it up as 21-21. Let’s out a roar.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 21-20
A mishit from Loh and Sen has his first game point.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 20-20
20-20. Phew. Sen must have heaved a sigh of relief there.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 19-20
A game point for Loh.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 19-19
Nerves? Errors from Lakshya and Loh crawls right back into this. Wow. Where did this come from? Four points on the trot.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 19-15
Better from Loh but Sen has been in control throughout. Virtually no unforced errors.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 18-14
Loh sends a return long. Wonderful defence during the rally by Sen.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 17-13
Sen comes right back with a fine crosscourt smash to make the lead four points again. Really fine play.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 16-13
Now Loh wins four points in a row to make it a three-point game. Nice jump smash to close the gap.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 16-9
Brilliant shot by Sen who is in complete control at the moment. This is a nice lead to have going into the business end of the first game.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 14-9
The lead is now five points. Sen is keeping it real. Very steady play.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 11-8
A three-point lead for Lakshya at the mid-game break. He has controlled the pace of the match very well. The patient approach has allowed him to keep Loh at bay.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 10-7
Some superb play for Lakshya – ready to finish the point at the net. He is setting up the points very well indeed. Loh’s engine not quite firing yet.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 7-6
Brilliant defence by Lakshya. Great reactions to win a 36-shot rally – the longest rally so far. It also included a between the legs return and finally a good review to win the point. Superb point.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 4-5
Loh finding some rhythm of his own and wins three points in a row to take a slender one-point lead.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 4-2
Sen moves ahead with four points on the trot. Nice, consistent play from the young Indian.
Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: 0-2
Loh takes a two-love lead in the early going. His defence and pace around the court will be key. Lakshya also a similar type of player.
Time for Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: The H2H is 2-2. Lakshya is the higher ranked player. Loh is the player in arguably better form.
Time for Lakshya Sen vs Loh Kean Yew: The H2H is 2-2. Lakshya is the higher ranked player. Loh is the player in arguably better form.
Some lovely moments at the end: Lovely moments at the end. What a pair, the Daddies are. 37-yr-old Setiawan, 34-yr-old Ahsan finish 2nd... 24-yr-old Chirag and 21-yr-old Satwik clinch the title. Great match in the second game especially.
Here’s how game 2 panned out:
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 24-26 India: And they have done it! Satwik-Chirag with a brilliant win. Superb play. Their first-ever Indian Open title and they thoroughly deserved it.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 24-25 India: Errors from both pairs, but what drama around it all. 23-23! Service fault from Ahsan this time! 24-24. And now match point for the Indians!
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 22-22 India: Super fast rally and Satwik completely misses a forehand overhead. Well wide. He has not been happy with the footing for a while. He makes up immediately with a winner down the middle! We go on.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 21-21 India: Error from Setiawan at the net, Chirag with a fist bump. We need extra time. Soon after, another game point for the Daddies. And that is also squandered by Setiawan tapping one into the net!
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 20-19 India: Service errors at crucial moments... again. THIS IS A BANE FOR THE INDIANS. And out of nowhere, game points for the Daddies.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 17-19 India: The Indians needed that. Chirag has the serve back to halt the momentum. And an error follows. CLOSE!
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 17-17 India: Oh great challenge from Satwik, Indians go ahead by 3. But the Daddies close the gap down immediately with two quick points. And then a long rally follows that Satwik-Chirag somehow managed to stay in. Pressure pays. So many doubles games are decided from this point on.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 13-15 India: Sensational defence from both Satwik-Chirag after the interval. A good phase for the Daddies too, but a lucky net chord sees the Indians go ahead by 2 points again.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 10-11 India: frustrations for Ahsan at the end there as he sends the shuttle wide. Great recovery from the Indians from 6-9 down to take a lead.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 10-10 India: WHAT. A. RALLY. 39 shots! A tweener from Setiawan, Satwik ran off change to the racket, Chirag kills the point off at the end. 10-10. Just delightful doubles badminton from both pairs.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 9-6 India: From the man that is all about power, we have seen some fantastic touches in the last two matches. Satwik plays a fantastic slice drop from the backcourt at the end of a 30-shot rally to completely fool the Daddies. But top seeds are showing their class here, and have pulled ahead. Best phase of the match for them,
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21, 5-5 India: Setiawan with a superb return of serve but makes a couple of errors after that. Not a great start by both pairs to this second game, keeping things close. Good defensive work by Shetty but not enough to save a rally.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-21 India: Setiawan-Ahsan evidently slowed down towards the back-end of the game and Satwik-Chirag pounce! Fantastic from Chirag from the front-court again, he really has levelled up there. First game to the youngsters from India.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 16-20 India: Good judgement on service return and Satwik gets the serve back, game points follow.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 13-16 India: The longer rallies are not that frequent and the Indians really can’t afford to give those points to Ahsan-Setiawan. But after one such error, the Indians have opened up a 3-point lead again.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 9-11 India: Fantastic to see Satwik-Chirag mix it up with flat exchanges and lifts in the opening rallies. Not letting the Daddies dictate the terms just yet... good battle to start off. 11-9 lead for the Indians.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 7-9 India: There you go, a 36-shot rally where the Indians made the Daddies play non-flat shots. And it eventually went the Indians way. That would be the Plan A for them you’d think. Another error from Ahsan next up, and as the wait goes on for the review, he goes and takes a seat. Age, you know!
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 6-6 India: Couple of nice crosscourt winners already from Chirag. The key to winning this would be to put the Daddies out of their comfort zone, you’d think. Playing flat exchanges would play into their hands. But that is how it’s going here so far, unforced errors from the Indians early on too.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia 0-2 India: We start off with a 25-shot rally that goes the Indians way. Good start by Satwik-Chirag, lead 3-1.
Men’s doubles final, Indonesia vs India: Three-time world champions Ahsan and Setiawan. The Daddies, the top seeds. Taking on Satwik-Chirag, the Indian pair who idolise the Indonesians. The only match today between No [1] vs No [2] seeds. The Daddies lead the H2H 3-1.
This is what the Indians had to say yesterday:
Satwik: “We know whom we are playing, we have always idolised them. It is going to be a fun match and a learning experience. We played them at French open but after that we lost to them in Indonesia open. They will come without any expectations or pressure and we too don’t want to put pressure on ourself and want to enjoy ourselves and give 100 percent.”
Chirag: “The ones who will control the net tomorrow will be the one dominating. Even today the way they played against the Malaysians the match hardly lasted 30 minutes, which was quite fast for a men’s doubles match. They didn’t go for rallies, they generally try to serve well and we have to be ready for that. They may not be the fastest on court but they are smart.”
The first three matches done... time for the men’s doubles finals! Satwik-Chirag against their idols
04.10 pm: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of India Open badminton tournament. Join us for updates from the two finals involving Indian players at the Super 500 event in Delhi.
World championship bronze medallist Lakshya Sen, doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty progressed to the men’s singles summit clash but it was curtains for two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu on Saturday.
World number 10 pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy cruised to a 21-10 21-18 win over France duo of William Villeger and Fabien Delrue to make it to the finals. The 20-year-old Sen rallied his way to a 19-21 21-16 21-12 win over world number 60 Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong to enter his maiden World Tour Super 500 summit clash.
Chirag and Satwik will square off against three-time world champion Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan from Indonesia. Sen, seeded third, will face reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the summit clash on Sunday in a repeat of Dutch Open final last year.
However, there was disappointment in store in women’s singles as top seed and home favourite Sindhu lost 14-21 21-13 10-21 to sixth seeded Thai Supanida Katethong.
Young Aakarshi Kashyap too had a golden chance but she squandered five game points in the opening game to allow Busanan register a 26-24 21-9 win in the other women’s singles semifinal. Indian women’s doubles pair of Haritha Manazhiyil Harinarayan and Ashna Roy lost 12-21 9-21 to fourth seeded Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard of Thailand.
(With PTI inputs)
Screenshots in the blog courtesy Tournament Software / Sony LIV.