India’s Lakshya Sen entered his first main ultimate in two years after edging out Chinese language Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen in straight video games, whereas the lads’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty additionally stormed into the summit conflict of the Hong Kong Open Tremendous 500 in Hong Kong on Saturday (September 13, 2025).
The 23-year-old from Almora, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, ended an extended look forward to a title shot with a combating 23-21, 22-20 win over world No. 9 and third seed Chou in a gruelling 56-minute semifinal.
The Commonwealth Video games champion had final gained a Tremendous 500 event on the Canada Open in July 2023. He additionally clinched a Tremendous 300 title on the Syed Modi Worldwide in Lucknow in December final 12 months.
At the moment ranked world No. 20, Lakshya will face second seed Li Shi Feng of China within the ultimate.
Earlier, the world No. 9 duo of Satwik and Chirag defeated Chinese language Taipei’s Bing-Wei Lin and Chen Cheng-Kuan 21-17, 21-15 to make their first ultimate of the season after six semifinal heartbreaks. The eighth-seeded Indians will tackle China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, silver medallists on the Paris Olympics.
“Finals, lastly. It’s been seven semifinals since China Open final 12 months. We’ve been consistently taking part in semifinals and I believe we actually needed to play a ultimate. It’s been some time,” Chirag mentioned.
“The final ultimate we performed was the Thailand Open, most likely in Could, earlier than the Olympics. We actually needed to do properly right here and I believe we’re actually joyful. Nonetheless another match to go, however total it’s been an excellent ultimate.
“World Championships was good, though we’d have liked to play the ultimate, however I believe the pairs that we beat with the boldness that we had coming into the World Championships, it was fairly good. However having mentioned that, yeah, actually joyful that we’re taking part in a ultimate right here; we lastly broke that semifinal jinx.”
Lakshya learn his opponent’s assault properly through the close-to-an-hour contest to remain forward for a lot of the match. He was up 3-0 within the first recreation, however the 35-year-old Chou stored snapping at his heels earlier than the Indian secured a four-point cushion on the break.
Chou clawed again to 12-12 with 4 straight factors. The duo exchanged parallel photographs, with Lakshya displaying strong defence, together with a forehand return into the hole, however a service fault gave Chou 15-14 lead.
The Taiwanese erred on the internet, however replied with a cross-court smash. He then went lengthy twice as Lakshya moved to 18-15. Chou thought there was a double hit throughout a internet dribble, however the umpire dominated towards him. Lakshya went lengthy, permitting Chou to chop it to 17-18, after which levelled at 18-18 after one other error from the Indian.
At 19-19, the 2 engaged in a 51-shot rally that ended with Chou discovering the online. He hit again to make it 20-20 with a superb defensive retrieval. Lakshya earned a second recreation level when Chou netted a backhand, however squandered it with one other lengthy shot. A protracted serve from Chou lastly gave Lakshya his third recreation level, which he transformed with a internet wire.
After a 3-3 begin within the second, Lakshya slipped to 4-7 with just a few errors. Chou stretched his result in 13-10 with smashes after which to 15-12 with a sequence of highly effective soar hits. Lakshya responded with a fragile drop however Chou regained management at 17-14.
The Indian saved two recreation factors with a straightforward kill and a clear winner on the road to make it 19-20. He then produced a smash and an excellent defensive shot to seize match level, sealing the competition once more with a lucky internet wire.
Lakshya conceded it was powerful match and hoped he is ready to recharge his power in time for the ultimate.
“It was a really aggressive match and credit score to Chou as properly. He performed very properly at each level of the sport… we had been on our toes. The depth of the match was actually excessive and I’m pleased with the way in which I stored my calm within the closing phases and some fortunate internet cords as properly, so a fortunate day right now,” he mentioned.
“He (Chou) was very properly ready for the strokes that I used to be taking part in. Each of us have performed so many occasions prior to now; the rallies I knew had been going to be lengthy. We needed to wait each time; like, even should you bought it from the mid-court, you needed to anticipate the shuttle again, so yeah, I used to be simply ready for every part.”
Lakshya mentioned he’ll attempt to give his greatest within the ultimate.
Satwik-Chirag on a run
The opening recreation noticed the 2 pairs locked at 3-3 and 6-6 earlier than Satwik’s smashes and Chirag’s sharp interceptions helped the Indians inch forward 11-8.
Although the Taiwanese clawed again to 12-12, the Indians surged to 15-12 and closed the sport on their second recreation level with Chirag’s angled, high-paced return.
Chen and Lin began stronger within the second, main 4-2, however India restored parity at 6-6 after a service misjudgment from their opponents. A few errors from Chirag gave the Taiwanese a 10-8 cushion, just for Satwik to unleash one other booming smash to degree issues at 12-all.
From there, the Indians tightened their grip, transferring to 17-15 as Satwik punished a weak return. Quickly it turned 19-15 in India’s favour earlier than a internet error by Chen handed Satwik and Chirag 5 match factors. The Indians transformed instantly after the Taiwanese went lengthy.
Printed – September 14, 2025 12:22 am IST
