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The Commonwealth Games champions Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy on Sunday defeated China's Tang Qian and Ren Yu Xiang to clinch the Swiss Open men's badminton doubles title in Basel.
Shetty-Rankireddy, sixth in the badminton rankings, got the better of the World No. 21 Chinese pair 21-19, 24-22 to win their first title of the 2023 badminton season. Both partners entered the match with a determined attitude and were unyielding in the opening exchanges. Qiang and Xiang Yu put up a strong defensive effort, including a 47-shot rally to win the fifth point, but Shetty and Rankireddy kept extending their lead to win the first game of the BWF Super 300 championship. It was the first time that Tan Qiang and Ren Xiang Yu had dropped a game at the Swiss Open 2023. Even in the second game, there wasn't much separating the two squads. The Indians built a three-point lead after the scores were tied at 11-11 because of Shetty's strong smashes and Rankireddy's precise touches. Qiang and Xiang Yu launched a series of offensive strokes in an attempt to stage a comeback. Shetty and Rankireddy won the match in 54 minutes after saving four match points. Earlier on Saturday, Shetty and Rankireddy advanced to the final of the ongoing Swiss Open 2023. Chirag and Satwiksairaj downed the Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi. The world number six India doubles pair defeated their world number eight opponents by 21-19, 17-21, 21-17 in a highly-competitive semi-final match to seal their spot in the summit clash of the BWF Super 300 tournament. Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's previous Badminton World Federation titles came at the French Open 2022 BWF Super 750 tournament in October. Next, the Indian badminton players are likely to be in action at the Spain Masters BWF Super 300 in Madrid next week. (ANI)
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