BWF world championships: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty carry India’s hopes of gold after making history, HS Prannoy’s run ends

PTI

Tokyo, August 26

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty today ensured India’s first medal at the World Championships but HS Prannoy’s impressive run ended in agony as he went down narrowly in the men’s singles quarterfinals here.

Rankireddy and Shetty, ranked world No. 7, who had claimed the Commonwealth Games gold medal earlier this month, stunned the local favourites and defending champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 24-22 15-21 21-14 in the men’s doubles quarterfinals, winning in an hour and 15 minutes.

It is India’s second World Championships medal in doubles badminton — Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had claimed bronze way back in 2011 in women’s doubles.

Overall, it is India’s 13th medal at the showpiece event. PV Sindhu has won five of them, including gold in 2019, and Saina Nehwal (silver and bronze) has claimed two. Kidambi Srikanth (silver), Lakshya Sen (bronze), B Sai Praneeth (bronze) and Prakash Padukone (bronze) are the other Indian medallists at the World Championships.

It could have been double delight for the country but China’s Zhao Jun Peng had other plans. The Chinese claimed a 19-21 21-6 21-18 win over former world No. 8 Prannoy to break Indian hearts.

Earlier, MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila’s fine run also ended after the Indian pair lost 8-21 14-21 to three-time champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in the men’s doubles.

Having assured themselves of at least a bronze, Rankireddy and Shetty will now face the sixth-seeded Malaysian pair of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the semifinals.

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