Badminton
Satwik/Chirag pull out of India Open
India's top men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have pulled out of the ongoing India Open 2023.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (File Photo)
The top Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have pulled out of India Open 2023 owing to a groin injury to Satwik.
Defending champions Satwik and Chirag thrashed Scotland's Christopher and Matthew Grimley 21-13, 21-15 on Tuesday to advance to the next round.
Chinese shuttlers Yu Chen Liu and Xuan Yi Ou got a walkover victory to progress to the quarterfinals as the Indian pair pulled out before their match on Thursday. According to Badminton Association of India, the injury to Satwik is not very serious, but the Indian pair decided to not take further risks.
The doubles pair had also been involved in a run to the semifinals at the Super 1000 Malaysia Open earlier this month.
This ends India's challenge in men's doubles at the Super 750 India Open. The second best men's pair MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila had already pulled out of the tournament.
With PV Sindhu's first round defeat adding to the woes, this year's India Open has not been kind to Indian shuttlers so far.
"I was here to watch India's top men's double pair but now they have pulled out, it looks India's challenge might end today" a fan told The Bridge at the venue on hearing news of Satwik and Chirag's walkover.
Lakshya Sen will be be in his pre-quarterfinal clash later today. Saina Nehwal and Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand are among the other Indians in action on Thursday.
