The celebrated Indian duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched a hard-earned victory against Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in the first round of the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament, propelling them to the next stage with determination and skill.
Satwik and Chirag, reigning world no. 1 duo, asserted their dominance with a stellar performance in the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament. The Asian Games champions commenced their campaign with a commendable victory over the 12th-ranked Malaysian pair, securing a 21-13, 24-22 win in 47 minutes. This triumph marked their fifth victory in their last eight encounters, reaffirming their formidable prowess on the court.
After securing their spot in the next round, Satwik and Chirag, who have narrowly missed the top spot in their recent tournaments, are set to take on the Malaysian duo of Man Wei Chong and Kai Wun Tee. Meanwhile, in another thrilling match, World Championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen displayed his resilience by staging a remarkable comeback against Japan’s Kanta Tsuneyama, clinching a hard-fought victory with scores of 15-21, 21-15, 21-3 in his opening round fixture.
In the pre-quarterfinals, the unseeded Indian contender is slated to face off against the third seed, Li Shen Feng.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, Commonwealth Games bronze medalists, secured their spot in the second round by overcoming their fellow Indian competitors, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, in a tightly contested match. The duo clinched victory with scores of 16-21, 21-19, 21-17 in the women’s doubles category.
Both pairs are vying for qualification to the Paris Olympics, with Tanisha-Ashwini currently ranked 11th and Treesa-Gayatri positioned at the 14th spot in the Olympic Games qualification ranking.
Treesa and Gayatri have been in exceptional form, contributing significantly to the Indian women’s team’s remarkable victory at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Shah Alam, Malaysia last month.
On the other hand, Priyanshu Rajawat faced disappointment as he succumbed to a 8-21, 15-21 defeat against the reigning Olympic champion and top seed, Victor Axelsen.
