Satwik-Chirag into Singapore Open semis, Sindhu ousted by two-time Olympic champion

India’s Singapore Open campaign witnessed contrasting fortunes on Friday as Satwiksiraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the men’s doubles semi-finals while PV Sindhu crashed out in the women’s singles quarter-finals. Lakshya Sen, meanwhile, has yet to play his last eight matches at the time of writing.

Satwik and Chirag kept India’s title hopes alive with a 19-21, 21-17, 21-13 battle over Malaysia’s Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in the men’s doubles quarterfinals.

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The Indian duo were pushed hard in the opening game as the Malaysians emerged victorious in a tight battle 21-19. However, Satwik and Chirag responded impressively and took control of the rally with aggressive attacking play and dominance at the net. They claimed the second game at 21-17 before completely taking over the decisive role.

After a competitive start to the third game, the former world number one raced forward and never looked back. Their powerful smashes and sharp tackles repeatedly troubled the Malaysian pair as they cruised to a comfortable 21-13 win to book their place in the semi-finals.

SINDHU FALLS TO WORLD NO.1

Earlier in the day, PV Sindhu’s run came to an end after she suffered a 17-21, 14-21 defeat to reigning Olympic champion and world number one An Se Young.

The two-time Olympic medalist showed flashes of her best offense but struggled to trouble the Korean, who showed again why she is the dominant force in women’s badminton.

Sindhu stayed in touch in the opening game, recovering from a four-point deficit to go up 17-19 before a couple of costly errors allowed An to close out. The second game proved even tougher as the Korean raced to a 6-0 lead and never really relinquished control despite Sindhu’s vigorous defense.

Ana’s exceptional court coverage, accuracy and ability to absorb pressure ultimately proved decisive as she wrapped up the match in 48 minutes.

The defeat extended Sindhu’s winless streak against An Se Young to nine matches and ended her Singapore Open campaign. India’s hopes now lie with Satwik-Chirag and Lakshya Sen, who was scheduled to play the quarter-finals later in the day.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

29 May 2026 16:02 IST