Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showcased resilience and fighting spirit as they overcame a tough challenge to move into the men’s doubles second round at the Denmark Open Super 750 tournament in Odense on Wednesday.
The sixth-seeded duo, who entered the event after reaching consecutive finals at the Hong Kong Open and China Masters, fought back from a game down to defeat Scotland’s Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley 17-21, 21-11, 21-17 in a thrilling opening-round encounter.
It was a test of nerves and consistency for Satwik and Chirag, who had to regroup quickly after losing the first game. With sharper net play and powerful smashes, the Indian pair regained control in the second game before sealing the decider with composure. The win reflects their growing maturity on the court and their ability to adapt under pressure.
The pair, who bagged their second World Championships bronze medal earlier this year in Paris, will next face the Chinese Taipei combination of Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the second round. A win there would further solidify their strong run of form heading into the latter stages of the tournament.
In men’s singles, India’s Lakshya Sen also made a confident start to his campaign. The 24-year-old from Almora battled past Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen 10-21, 21-8, 21-18 in a tense first-round match. After dropping the opening game, Sen found his rhythm in the second with sharper footwork and aggressive rallies, eventually clinching the decider to secure his place in the next round.
Sen, who narrowly missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics with a fourth-place finish, has been in strong form recently, having reached the final of the Hong Kong Super 500. He will now face either Denmark’s second seed Anders Antonsen or Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting in what promises to be a high-intensity contest.
However, it was a disappointing outing for the mixed doubles pair of Mohit Jaglan and Lakshita Jaglan, who lost 14-21, 11-21 to Indonesia’s Adnan Maulana and Indah Cahya Sari Jamil in the opening round. Despite flashes of promise, the Indian duo couldn’t match the pace and precision of their experienced opponents.
With both Satwik-Chirag and Lakshya Sen advancing, India remains well represented in the Denmark Open, keeping hopes alive for another strong showing on the international badminton circuit.
