Swiss Open Super 300 final as it happened: Satwik-Chirag clinch first 2023 title with thrilling win
Recap of Satwik-Chirag’s final in Basel.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 22-24 Satwik / Chirag: That will be all for this blog.
Watch highlights here:
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 22-24 Satwik / Chirag: It’s been a frustrating start for Indians on the BWF World Tour. There have been the occasional sparks and today Satwik-Chirag brought the fireworks. A good week and India’s tradition of doing well in Basel continues.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 22-24 Satwik / Chirag: Here are some reactions to the win.
From nearly exiting in second round to winning the title: This was earlier in the week, down match points.
No strangers to being first: The first doubles title at Swiss Open for India. An event where Srikanth, Prannoy, Saina and Sindhu have won before. And we now have doubles winners too. What a drama-filled week.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 22-24 Satwik / Chirag: MATCH WON! Fine, fine rally once again. What a final. Mathias Boe is out of his chair and out of the screens. Chirag’s shirt comes off. The Indians are celebrating and why not. What a week.
A game of fine margins this! The Indians had championship point two times and both times, a fortunate net chord kept the Chinese in the game. They then bring up game point but this time the net chord goes against them!
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 22-23 Satwik / Chirag: The net stay neutral this time as the it does the right thing for the Indians! This is incredible. Next point, match point for the Indians.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 22-21 Satwik / Chirag: Huge pressure on Chirag from Tan and this is now a game point for the Chinese.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 21-21 Satwik / Chirag: The net is made in China. Wow. Another intervention and another match point goes.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 20-21 Satwik / Chirag: Both match points saved but good work by the Indians to have another match point.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 19-20 Satwik / Chirag: WHAT A RALLY! Satwik with a stunning solo effort nearly to win the rally but the point goes to China eventually. One match point saved.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 18-20 Satwik / Chirag: Two match points for the Indians.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 17-19 Satwik / Chirag: Good forward movement from Satwik to force the error. Another huge roar from Boe in the background as Chirag does the trick this time.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 16-17 Satwik / Chirag: Chirag takes control at the net after a good smash by Satwik. Huge poin that.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 16-16 Satwik / Chirag: A rare mishit shot from Satwik after some great defensive work by Chirag and suddenly it’s 1-point game. Relentless pressure from Tan. And we are level again.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 13-15 Satwik / Chirag: That was a rally at 3X speed. Terrifc between Tan and Chirag mostly but the latter’s shot goes long in the end.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 12-15 Satwik / Chirag: The Indians pull ahead by three points. Just need to keep things steady from here. “Let’s go India” chants. A quick warning from the umpire to Satwik to keep things going.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 11-12 Satwik / Chirag: Good return Satwik!
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 11-11 Satwik / Chirag: Fabulous rally from both pairs, Ren/Tan showing great defence first and then Satwik but the error comes from Chirag in the end. All level. Impossible to call this game.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 9-11 Satwik / Chirag: Oh dear, Satwik is winding up for a big smash after the strings are gone on the rackets of one of the Chinese players. But he misses the smash. Reprieve. But the Chinese make a tame service error as we head into the interval.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 8-10 Satwik / Chirag: Both pairs exchaning blows at the moment.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 8-8 Satwik / Chirag: The CHN pair bring the pace and floor the Indians. Great point.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 6-8 Satwik / Chirag: Chirag has had great moments at the net in this little phase of the second game. The Indians have the serve back and a decent lead now.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 6-6 Satwik / Chirag: Extremely fast and furious at the moment. Ren and Tan have closed up the gap.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 3-2 Satwik / Chirag: Even start to the 2nd game. Oh, Satwik with a stunning behind the back get. The rally carrie on but Satwik misses at the end anyway.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 1-1 Satwik / Chirag: That was high quality men’s doubles badminton. What’s in store, game 2?
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-21 Satwik / Chirag: Game 1, India. It got really close in the end but Chirag with a great return of serve and Satwik comes up with the kill.
MD final, Ren / Tan 19-20 Satwik / Chirag: Superb smash from Chirag to set up two game points. Satwik is then put under pressure and he tries to survive from sitting on the court but not to be.
MD final, Ren / Tan 17-19 Satwik / Chirag: Another super point by the Chinese. The Indians really needed a good rally. Great pressure from the return but Ren makes couple of stunning gets. The point goes SatChi’s way eventually. Crucial rally.
MD final, Ren / Tan 16-18 Satwik / Chirag: Chirag lets the shuttle drop... but it is called in. Review by the Indians. And not for the first time this week, the review takes some time. The shuttle though is well in. Pressure on the Indians.
MD final, Ren / Tan 15-18 Satwik / Chirag: Well, well. The gap closes.
MD final, Ren / Tan 13-18 Satwik / Chirag: The Satwik smash helps set up a kill for Chirag this time. The point itself was set up by a good service return.
MD final, Ren / Tan 12-17 Satwik / Chirag: The pressure is constant from Indians. Satwik at the net has been especially good so far in this match.
MD final, Ren / Tan 10-15 Satwik / Chirag: The Chirag smash sets up a good kill for Satwik at the net.
MD final, Ren / Tan 9-14 Satwik / Chirag: The Indians keeping the rallies as flat as possible. Working for them.
MD final, Ren / Tan 8-11 Satwik / Chirag: Ah, there is another service fault for height. This one on Satwik. The gift is returneed immediately. The Indians have a lead at the interval.
MD final, Ren / Tan 7-9 Satwik / Chirag: Point being exchanged at the moment. Chirag with a nice return on a flick serve and Satwik ready to pounce at the net. Then Satwik with a flick serve of his own for a winner.
MD final, Ren / Tan 6-6 Satwik / Chirag: It’s been an eventful start to this match already. The shuttle gives us a terrific moment of drama as it gets stuck at the top of the cord. Play let. Some fine returns of serve happening from both sides. Even start to the match, all level.
MD final, Ren / Tan 2-3 Satwik / Chirag: A 47-shot rally! What a point early in this match. Great defence from the Indians but Tan’s superb crosscourt backhand drive clinche the point.
MD final, Ren / Tan 1-3 Satwik / Chirag: A quick start for the Indians and then a problem that has plagued them all week. Service error from Chirag for height.
MD final, Satwik / Chirag vs Ren / Tan: Ren has been ranked as high as 16 with Ou, while Tan is a former world No 10 with He. Their current rank as a pair is No 21.
MD final, Satwik / Chirag vs Ren / Tan: The Indians and Chinese have had contrasting paths to the final. It’s been three-game matches galore for the Indians, while Ren/Tan are yet to drop a game. This will be the first meeting between the two pairs.
Men’s doubles final, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty vs Ren Xiang Yu and Tan Qiang: The second scheduled final is the first match of the day. Men’s doubles coming up after the women’s doubles final ended in a pre-match walkover.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of badminton, today we will be tracking Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s final at the Swiss Open Super 300. The duo are the last Indians standing.
It’s been a week of three-game battles for Satwik and Chirag after starting their campaign with a straight-games win. In the second round they were on the brink of an early exit, facing multiple match points in the decider before winning a marathon. Two more three-game contests followed and here they are today, in their first final of the BWF World Tour season. Ren Xiang Yu and Tan Qiang are their opponents in the final.
Screenshots in the blog via BWF TV / Tournament Software / Viacom18