Satwik-Chirag Vs Liang-Wang, Hong Kong Open 2025: Indian Duo Finish Runners-Up In BWF 500 Final

India's premier men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, clinched a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open Super 500 on Sunday, September 14. They faced China's Olympic silver medallists Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in a gripping final, ultimately losing 21-19, 14-21, 17-21, despite initially gaining a one-game advantage.

The world No. 9 Indians, who secured a second consecutive World Championships bronze last month, marked their first final appearance in 16 months since their victory at the Thailand Open 2024.

'There's Always Next Time', Says Chirag Shetty

The Indian pair lost 21-19, 14-21, 17-21 to the world No. 6 Chinese duo in a 61-minute, demanding summit clash. Despite the loss, Chirag Shetty expressed his satisfaction with their performance.

"Been a good week, especially after the world championships a week later and here we are playing a final," he said."You would want to go and win that title but credit to them (Liang and Wang), they played well, as well. There's always a next time and overall happy with the performance."

This result ended Satwik-Chirag's impeccable record in Super 500 finals, having prevailed in all four previous contests. The Indians, who have reached six semifinals this season, possessed a 3-6 head-to-head record against Liang and Wang before the match, having bested them earlier at the BWF World Championships 2025 in Paris.

Satwik-Chirag Vs Liang-Wang: First Game Drama

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty struggled to sustain their momentum after taking the first game. In the deciding game, they found themselves facing an inexplicable 2-11 deficit, leaving them to chase the match.

"I think the shuttles were a bit fast. They were quite good at the 3-4 strokes. Put us under a lot of pressure in the first 4-5 strokes because they were retrieving quite hard," Chirag said. "So I think we could have better planned in the second set, especially the third set as well. In the first game we countered it quite well, kept it low, but we weren't able to do that in the second and third."

The opening game unfolded as a nail-biting encounter, with Rankireddy and Shetty matching the Chinese pair stroke for stroke. Chirag's powerful smashes eliminated an early 0-2 deficit, securing India a 9-8 lead. At 10-10, a wide shot from the Indians was offset by a Liang error before another Chirag smash gave them a narrow advantage at the break.

Following the interval, the Indians attacked aggressively, surging to 13-11 with a series of fierce smashes. Satwik's body attack on Wang, followed by a flat, quick exchange and a precise Chirag serve, extended their lead by four points. The Chinese recovered with four consecutive points in a close front-court contest as the Indians made costly net errors.

A contentious call, where Wang seemingly struck the shuttle before it crossed the net, gave China an 18-17 lead. India immediately responded, as Satwik's thunderous smash levelled the score at 19-19. Liang's wide shot then granted the Indian pair a game point, and Chirag's accurate serve along the line sealed the thrilling opener.

Decisive Gameplay Seals Liang-Wang Win

The Chinese pair launched a strong recovery in the second game, with Wang dominating from the back court to establish an 8-2 lead. The Indian duo temporarily narrowed the gap via a Wang service error and a long shot. However, an umpire's call against Satwik for a high serve and a delicate Liang forehand at the net enabled the Chinese to enter the mid-game interval with an 11-6 advantage.

Aiding them, the drift caused Liang and Wang's smashes to carry extra force, extending their lead to 13-7. A sharp serve and subsequent smash allowed the Indians to decrease the margin to 10-13, before Chirag's block-and-net play further reduced it to 12-14. Nevertheless, two errors from Chirag gave the Chinese pair space at 17-12.

A powerful smash then provided them with six game points, and they brought the match level when Satwik hit a shot wide. Liang and Wang maintained their momentum in the deciding game, quickly building a 5-0 lead and leaving Satwik and Chirag unable to find answers. A service fault on Liang briefly interrupted their run, but the Chinese quickly regained control, capitalising on India's coordination errors to progress to 8-1.

When Chirag netted the ball, Liang and Wang held a commanding 11-2 lead at the final interval. The Indians mounted a belated fightback, saving three match points to bring the score to 17-20. Ultimately, a stray return from the Indian side secured the win for the Chinese pair.

Later in the afternoon, Lakshya Sen will contend for the Hong Kong Open men's singles title against familiar opponent Li Shi Feng at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

(With PTI Inputs)