Satwik-Chirag storm into China Masters quarter-finals after beating Popov brothers

India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated France’s Christo and Toma Junior Popov 21-17, 22-24, 21-9 to enter the China Masters quarter-finals. The fourth seeds recovered from a second-game setback to dominate the decider and seal victory.

Shenzhen: Indian pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty delivered a strong performance to defeat France’s Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov 21-17, 22-24, 21-9, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the China Masters on Thursday.

The Indian pair, who had entered the tournament as the fourth seeds, recovered well after letting the second game slip and dominated the decider to secure a comfortable victory over the French brothers.

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Satwik and Chirag finished the match with 64 points, compared with the Popov brothers’ 50. The Indians also won nine game points, while the French pair managed two.

The opening game was closely fought early on, but Satwik and Chirag gradually gained control and held their nerve in the closing exchanges to win it 21-17.

The Popov brothers responded vigorously in the second game. The French team challenged the Indians, creating a close contest, and managed to hold the pressure before taking the lead to secure a 24-22 victory and force a deciding set.

With the score tied at one game apiece, Satwik and Chirag stepped up their game significantly. The Indian pair swiftly seized command of the third game and established a substantial lead.

The Popovs struggled to match the Indians’ pace and attacking quality as Satwik and Chirag continued to pile on the pressure. The fourth seeds closed out the deciding game 21-9 to secure the victory.

Satwik and Chirag started their campaign with a straight-game win against Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Kang Khai Xing in the round of 32. The fourth-seeded Indians triumphed 21-11, 21-16 in 40 minutes on Court 1.

The World No. 5 duo’s previous appearance was at the BWF World Championships last month, where their campaign ended in the quarterfinals. The Indian pair, bronze medallists from last year, were beaten by China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang 21-18, 21-9 in New Delhi.