Hong Kong Open: Double delight for India as Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag enter finals (Ld)

Hong Kong, Sep 13 (IANS) India enjoyed a memorable day at the Hong Kong Open 2025 as Lakshya Sen stormed into the men’s singles final while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty ended their semifinal jinx to book a place in the men’s doubles summit clash here on Saturday.

With both entries confirmed, India is assured of a strong presence in Sunday’s final.

For Sen, the semifinal win marked a return to the big stage after a two-year wait. The 24-year-old overcame Chinese Taipei’s third seed Chou Tien Chen in straight games, 23-21, 22-20, in 56 minutes of high-intensity badminton.

Showing nerves of steel in the closing stages of both games, Sen secured his first Super 500 final since 2023. He now faces World No. 4 Li Shi Feng of China in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Significantly, Sen holds a 7-6 head-to-head advantage over the Chinese star, adding an extra edge to the contest.

Earlier in the day, Satwik and Chirag finally broke through after a year of setbacks, reaching their first final since their Asian Games gold medal triumph in October 2023. The World No. 9 Indian pair dismissed Chinese Taipei’s unseeded duo Bing-Wei Lin and Chen Cheng Kuan with authority, 21-17, 21-15, snapping a frustrating run of six consecutive semifinal defeats in 2025.

Their next challenge is formidable: China’s World No. 3 pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who eased past compatriots Fang-Chih Lee and Fang-Jen Lee 21-19, 21-8. For the Indians, however, this final appearance comes as a huge morale boost after enduring a tough year riddled with injuries and personal struggles.

Satwik, 24, has battled a recurring back problem, an elbow injury, and the personal tragedy of losing his father in February 2025, followed by illness that further disrupted his season. Chirag, 28, has also been dealing with a persistent back issue that affected their rhythm and forced multiple withdrawals. Despite these setbacks, their bronze medal at the BWF World Championships earlier this year showed glimpses of their pedigree.

Often hailed as trailblazers of Indian men’s doubles, Satwik and Chirag now have a golden chance to cap their comeback with a title. Alongside Lakshya Sen’s surge in singles, India stands on the brink of a rare double triumph at a major BWF Super 500 event.

--IANS

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