The 2023 Asian Games gold medalists, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, faced an unexpected defeat this Tuesday during the opening round of the Japan Masters Super 500. They were outplayed by the Chinese Taipei pair, Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han. Although Rankireddy and Shetty had recently reached the top of the BWF rankings after their Asian Games triumph, they couldn't hold their ground, losing the match 21-16, 18-21, 16-21 after over an hour of play.
Asian Games 2023 gold medalists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty of India suffered a shock defeat in the first round of the ongoing 2023 Japan Masters Super 500 on Tuesday. Rankireddy and Shetty were defeated by Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han of Chinese Taipei. Rankireddy and Shetty, who had momentarily risen to the top of the Badminton World Federation rankings after clinching their Asian Games title, were defeated 21-16, 18-21, 16-21 in a battle that lasted for 63 minutes.
The match started rocky for the Indian pair, who found themselves trailing 0-3 early in the first set. However, they managed to recover their composure, leveling the score at 4-4 and eventually leading 11-7 by the mid-game break. While the Taiwanese duo fought back to tie things at 13-13, Rankireddy and Shetty showed better endurance and managed to clinch the opening game 21-16.
The second game opened with some breathtaking rallies, but the momentum shifted as Yang and Lu secured an 11-9 lead at the interval. After the break, the Indian duo began to falter; the World No. 21 pair systematically targeted Shetty's body and pushed Rankireddy out of his usual rhythm, eventually taking the second game 21-18 to force a deciding third set.
The final game was a hard-fought battle, but Lu and Yang gained the upper hand early on, winning four of five consecutive points to lead 7-10. They leveraged this momentum to build a significant gap, and although the Indians attempted a comeback, they remained behind at 10-11. After switching sides, Rankireddy and Shetty seemed exhausted and lacked their usual spark, allowing their opponents to extend the lead to 18-21 before sealing the victory at 21-16. This early exit is a major setback for the pair's chances of reaching the 2023 BWF World Tour Finals, as they currently sit 13th in the HSBC Race to Finals with 67,020 points.
On Wednesday, Lakshya Sen starts his tournament with a matchup against a long-time rival, Kodai Naraoka. Meanwhile, HS Prannoy—who secured a landmark bronze in Hangzhou—is returning to competition following a hiatus due to a back injury. Having missed the European tour, India's top-ranked player is now set to face Lee Cheuk Yiu.