Japan Open 2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Prannoy and Satwik-Chirag knocked out in quarters; Lakshya reaches semis

Game 1: Wang Chin-Lin smashes Chinese Taipei pair to 11-7 lead at interval

Wang Chin-Lin is coming up with powerful smashes. Satwik's defence is being tested. The Chinese Taipei pair extends the lead to 9-7. For the first time in the game, Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin are having more than a point lead. 

Chin-Lin's smashes have the power and angle tilt. They take an 11-7 at the mid game interval.

Game 1: Wang Chin-Lin smashes Chinese Taipei pair to 11-7 lead at interval

Wang Chin-Lin is coming up with powerful smashes. Satwik's defence is tested. The Chinese Taipei pair extends the lead to 9-7. For the first time in the game, Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin are having more than a point lead. 

Chin-Lin's smashes have the power and angle tilt. They take an 11-7 at the mid game interval.

Game 1: Deep smash from Chirag Shetty

Beautiful deep smash from Chirag Shetty. Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin have no answer to it. So far, the battle is so close with the game is levelled at 7-7.

Game 1: Neck-to-neck battle

It is 4-4. The first game is going neck to neck as both pairings are trying to get control of the net. 

Satwik-Chirag in 2023

Satwik-Chirag has won their last two events in Indonesia Open Super 1000 and Korea Open Super 500. Overall, they have won three World Tour titles this season. They are now ranked 2nd on the BWF World Rankings.

Satwik-Chirag takes Court 1: Action begins soon

Satwik and Chirag take court 1. They will take on Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin in pursuit of a place in the semifinals.

Head-to-Head: Lakshya Sen vs Koki Watanabe

Lakshya Sen and Koki Watanabe played each other twice, that too when they were playing junior-level events. While Watanabe defeated Lakshya in their first meeting at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships - mixed team event on July 11, 2016, Lakshya avenged the defeat three days later in the individual event.

Head-to-Head: HS Prannoy vs Viktor Axelsen

HS Prannoy and Viktor Axelsen have met eight times in their career. World no. 1 Axelsen enjoys a 6-2 lead, but in their last three meetings, India's Prannoy won twice while Axelsen once.

Head-to-Head: Satwik-Chirag vs Lee Yang-Wang Chin-Lin

Going into the Japan Open quarterfinals, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have a 2-1 head-to-head record against the Tokyo Olympics gold medallists Lee Yang and Wang Chin-Lin.