Fourth seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty overcame a stiff test against Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen in a thrilling three-game battle in the quarter-finals of the China Masters on Friday, September 4.
Satwik and Chirag needed an hour and 10 minutes to overcome the experienced Danish pair, bouncing back from behind in the deciding game to reach the semi-finals of the prestigious Super 750 tournament in Shenzhen for the fourth successive time.
The Indian duo defeated Astrup and Rasmussen 21-13, 16-21, 21-18. It was their fifth win in 11 meetings against the Danes and their first meeting since 2024.
It was also a much-needed high-intensity outing for Satwik and Chirag, who are building match miles and momentum ahead of the Asian Games, which begin on September 19.
Having returned from a long injury-induced lay-off at the BWF World Championships in Delhi last month, Satwik and Chirag showed their desire for more match practice by travelling to the China Masters, even as the likes of PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty withdrew from the event with the Asian Games in mind.
After being pushed for 69 minutes by the Popov brothers in their round-of-16 match on Thursday, Satwik and Chirag were again tested, this time by the world No. 17 Danish pairing.
THRILLING BATTLE
The Indians made a flying start, racing to a 5-1 lead and comfortably outclassing Astrup and Rasmussen in the opening game. But the Danes returned with a sharper tactical plan in the second.
Astrup’s net game, in particular, caused problems. His deft touches and changes of pace at the net repeatedly unsettled the Indians, who struggled to get the length needed to unleash their naturally aggressive game.
The Danes also covered the mid-court and front court superbly, rotating efficiently and putting relentless pressure on Satwik and Chirag. They took the second game 21-16 to force a decider.
The start of the third game did not go according to the Indians’ plan either. Satwik and Chirag fell 5-9 behind, but refused to panic. They remained patient, trusted their game and waited for openings in the Danes’ approach.
By the mid-game interval, the Indians had reduced the deficit to two points. From there, they became more proactive, matching the Danes for pace and creativity and gradually wresting back control.
At 15-15, the decider hung in the balance. But Satwik and Chirag raised their intensity at the crucial moment, producing the attacking bursts they had been searching for to move towards the finish line.
The Indians earned three match points and, although Astrup and Rasmussen saved one, Satwik and Chirag closed out the contest to book their place in the last four. It was the fourth time Satwik and Chirag have made the semifinals at the China Masters, finishing runners-up in 2023 and 2025 and losing in the last-four stage in 2024.
They are likely to face the world No. 7 Indonesian pairing of Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Isfahani in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Satwik and Chirag have met the sixth-seeded Indonesian pair only once, at last year’s Singapore Open, where the Indians prevailed in three games.
Earlier on Friday, India’s campaign in the singles events came to an end when Kidambi Srikanth, who had defeated Victor Lai in the round of 16, lost to Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.
– Ends
