Malaysia Open 2024 Day 3 Results: Satwik-Chirag, Ashwini-Tanisha secure stunning victories, Kidambi Srikanth bows out
The pre-quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open 2024 Super 1000 tournament witnessed a thrilling set of matches being played at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
The pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and the women’s doubles duo of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto secured victories in their respective matches.
However, with Kidambi Srikanth facing defeat against Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long, India’s campaign in the singles category came to an end.
The day's highlight was when Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto overcame the world-no. 9 pair of Maya Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara of Japan to book their place in the quarterfinals.
A closer look at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 Day 3 results
Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto took on Japan’s Maya Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara in the women’s doubles pre-quarterfinals. The first game began with both pairs neck and neck right till the midgame interval, where Tanisha and Ashwini led 11-10.
Even after the break, both pairs continued to play some high-quality badminton, keeping scores level.
However, after 16-16, the Indians managed to take three consecutive points and seize the lead. Despite a comeback by the Japanese duo, Tanisha and Ashwini kept their composure and sealed the game 21-19.
The second set kicked off in the same manner as the first, with both pairs evenly matched at 7-6. However, the Japanese pair surged ahead, claiming five consecutive points to establish a 14-6 lead.
Matsumoto and Nagahara maintained their advantage, ultimately closing the set at 21-13, leveling the match, and taking it to the decider.
The third and final set mirrored the previous one, but this time it was the Indians who took the lead after the scores were tied at 9-9.
Tanisha and Ashwini surged ahead to a 14-9 lead. The Indian duo kept their nerves and the lead, closing out the set with a scoreline of 21-15. The final scoreboard read 21-19, 13-21, 21-15 in favor of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto.
A men’s doubles Round of 16 match saw Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty face France's Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar. The Indian pair built on their momentum from the previous day and galloped to an 11-2 lead at the break in the opening game.
However, after the mid-game interval, with the score at 14-4, a seven-point burst by Corvee and Labar narrowed the lead to 11-14. The Indian duo quickly regrouped and, like the French, took their remaining seven points on the trot, closing the game at 21-11.
As the second game commenced, Corvee and Labar stormed ahead and took an 11-4 lead at the interval. The Indian duo, though caught off guard, found their rhythm once again and orchestrated a stunning comeback, leveling the scores at 16-16. They eventually sealed the set 21-18, booking their place in the quarterfinal.
India’s only remaining men’s singles shuttler, Kidambi Srikanth, faced a challenging task in the form of Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long. Despite playing some brilliant badminton, Long’s incredible retrieving and pinpoint attack were too much for Srikanth, who eventually lost in 38 minutes with a score of 13-21, 17-21.
With the quarterfinals all set to take place on Friday, January 12, Satwik and Chirag will face China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu. Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will take on Japan's Iwanaga Rin and Nakanishi Kie.