Malaysia Open badminton: Satwik-Chirag upstage world champions, reach final

Just before leaving for Kuala Lumpur to participate in the Malaysia Open, Chirag Shetty was a little downcast.

“Sadly, we won’t be able to collect our awards. Even if a ceremony is organised later, it is unlikely that we will get the awards from the president,” lamented the top doubles shuttler.

Shetty was referring to the National Sports Awards conferred on Tuesday where he and doubles partner Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were due to receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna – the country’s highest sports award – but had to skip the function to participate in the $1.3 million tournament in Kuala Lumpur.

Shetty and Rankireddy though have made that decision count by reaching the final of the year’s first tournament, that too in spectacular fashion.

Having clinched the first game after never relinquishing their lead, India’s world No.2 pair were down 11-18 and then 14-20 in the second to reigning world champions Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae. The Asian champions staged a sensational comeback against the South Koreans, winning eight successive points on Shetty’s serve to win 21-18, 22-20 in 47 minutes and enter the final at the Axiata Arena.

“I don’t remember winning a match from 20-14 before. All the points from there were easy points. We pretty much dominated those eight points, barring the point at 19, maybe. There was a very 50-50 chance where it could have gone either way. We played quite well to keep the shuttle low and not give them any opportunities,” said Shetty.

They were ecstatic, Shetty falling to the floor pumping his fists. Rankireddy broke into his typical victory dance while coach Mathias Boe leapt onto his chair courtside thumping his chest.

It was a significant victory as world No.3 Kang and Seo have been in sensational form, ending 2023 with the prestigious BWF World Tour Finals title. Southpaw Seo was anointed the 2023 BWF Male Player of the Year last month.

Shetty and Rankireddy’s fourth victory in five meetings over the Koreans leaves them chasing a slice of history on Sunday. No Indian has won a Malaysia Open title across categories – the tournament was first played in 1937.

In addition, Malaysia Open is also one of four Super 1000 tournaments, along with All England and the Indonesia and China Opens. The Asian Games gold medallists are also the only Indians to have won a Super 1000 event – the highest tier on the BWF World Tour. They achieved that by clinching the Indonesia Open last year.

It will a battle of the titans on Sunday as standing in their way are Chinese world No.1 Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who reached seven finals in 2023, including the Malaysia Open. They have a 3-1 record against Shetty and Rankireddy, including a semi-final victory over them in Kuala Lumpur last year.

Rankireddy though has other worries. “We need to do laundry,” laughed the 23-year-old. “The main thing is we don’t have clothes for the final. We’ll do laundry, then sleep and hopefully in the final play some good badminton to entertain people. We’re not thinking about the result.”