Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced another setback in a final, losing to Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae (Screengrab) India’s men’s doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered yet another final heartbreak, going down to world No.1 Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae in the China Masters Super 750 final on Sunday. The South Koreans clinched the summit clash 21-19, 21-15 in 45 minutes, denying the Asian Games champions what would have been their first title of the season. Satwik and Chirag had entered the final without dropping a game all week, following up on their World Championships bronze medal and a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open. They looked in control early, leading 14-8 in the opening game after a sharp run of angled smashes and Chirag’s deft net play. But the momentum slipped away. A lost video challenge disrupted their rhythm, and Kim-Seo reeled off eight of the next nine points to level at 15-all. Despite brief resistance, errors at the net from Chirag and tight defensive play from Seo meant the Indians surrendered the opener 19-21. Switching sides, Satwik and Chirag again began brightly. At 3-2, Chirag produced a between-the-legs return, followed soon after by Satwik doing the same, lifting the crowd. They pushed ahead 8-6, using their trademark steep smashes to puncture the Korean defence. However, Seo’s quick interceptions and Kim’s resilience turned the tide, and at one point keept a rally alive while sprawled on the floor. From 10-11 at the interval, the Koreans built a decisive four-point cushion at 15-11. Chirag’s errors under pressure, and the world No.1 pair closed out the contest without hesitation. For Kim and Seo, the victory marked their seventh title of the season from nine finals, adding to their World Championships gold and Super 1000 triumphs at the All England and Indonesia Open.
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For Satwik and Chirag, it was another reminder of how narrow the margins can be at the elite level. Their run to a second successive final showed how good their form is, but the wait for a title in 2025 continues.
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