Welcome to Sportstar’s highlights of the semifinals of the BWF World Championships 2022. We will be taking you through all the action as it unfolds.
- ⦿AND THE MALAYSIANS HAVE DONE IT!! 16-21 AND ITS CHIA-SOH ARE THROUGH TO THE FINALS. THEY WILL FACE AHSAN-SETIAWAN IN THE FINALS!
- ⦿ FOUR MATCH POINTS FOR MALAYSIA AFTER 76 MINUTES!! 16-20
- ⦿ Indians are absolutely confused. Both the players are moving along the same lines, leaving the other side vulnerable. Chia sees the opportunity and capitalises. Is this the end of the road for the Indians? 15-19
- ⦿ A blunder from Chia as he gifts a point for the Indians. He thought the shuttle was going beyond the back boundary but it falls well within it. 15-16
- ⦿ A fine drop from Satwik to collect a point. But the Malaysians still hold a 2 point lead 14-16
- ⦿ Chirag, who’s very close to the ner, hits a well controlled backhand shot to ensure a point. 13-14
- ⦿ We’ve just witnessed a Satwik special. He jumps high and produces a towering smash to pull a point back. 12-14
- ⦿ Fantastic rally, Chirag dives and dives well to meet the shuttle but lofts it just a tad bit higher than intended. Chia smacks the shuttle and the Malaysians take a 2 point lead. 11-13
- ⦿ A 47-shot rally comes to an end with the Malaysians on top. Absolute nail-biter. 11-12
- ⦿ Soh swings and misses and that’s a point straightaway for India. Scores equal. 11-11
- ⦿ Advantage Malaysia as they go into the interval with a one point lead courtesy of an amazing cross court smash. 10-11
- ⦿ Good leave from Chirag as Soh’s hit goes wide. Another point for India as Chia’s shot finds the net. Parity restored. 10-10
- ⦿ Confusion between the Indians leads to a Malaysian point. Costly error? 8-10
- ⦿ Scores even. Chirag dives to his right towards a well placed shot from Chia but he edges it wide. 8-8
- ⦿ The Indians take a two point lead. Quick successive points. 8-6
- ⦿ Amazing cross court play from India. Gets a well deserved point. 7-6
- ⦿ Scores are equal and Chirag is fired up!! Woah India take a one point lead as Satwik’s shot finding the gap. 6-5
- ⦿ Two point lead for Malaysia as Chirag’s mishit goes out of the court. India closes in on the lead with a point just after. 4-5
- ⦿ Good leave from Satwik as the shuttle falls well beyond the long boundary. Scores level. 3-3
- ⦿ The Indians’ smashes have been on point throughout this match and this one comes via a similar shot. The Malaysians take one back 2-2
- ⦿ Game 3 underway. One point each for both the teams. 1-1
- ⦿ Chirag goes out for a racket change in the middle of a rally and the Malaysians capitalised it to take the game away from India. 18-21
- ⦿ Game point for Chia-Soh. Soh’s smash seals a point for Malaysia. 18-20
- ⦿ What a rally, Chia does well to return four smashes from Satwik but the point eventually goes to the Indian pair. 17-19
- ⦿ Couple of points there for the Indians and it has come at a perfect time to change things around but that threat is immediately as the Malaysians take a four point lead. 15-19
- ⦿ Quick back and fourth from the teams and India comes out on top as Chia’s shot goes straight on to the net. 12-16
- ⦿ Another costly error from Chirag. He could have gone for any shot but was too ambitious and tried a backhand drop which found the net. Four point lead for Chia-Soh. 11-15
- ⦿ Play resumes and its a point straight away for Malaysia as Satwik’s shot finds the net. India gets a point back. 11-12
- ⦿ An error from Chirag lets Chia-Soh to take the lead at the second game’s interval. 10-11
- ⦿ It’s all square now, 10 all as Satwik’s shot deceives both the Malaysians.
- ⦿ Great service return from Chirag. Placed it perfectly at the edge of the back boundary. They get another point as Chia’s lob goes wide. 8-9
- ⦿ Outrageous review from the Malaysians, the shuttle was nowhere near the sideline. Good judgement from Satwik as he leaves the shuttle alone. 7-9
- ⦿ The Indians take turns to smash the shuttle back-to-back and the second smash wins them a point. They are still trailing by 3. 6-9
- ⦿ Chirag’s serve is countered in the best possible way by the Malaysians as they take a 3 point lead here. India pulls one back 5-7
- ⦿ Two lofted shots from Satwik and boom, powerful smash from the Malaysians. Still maintaining a 2 point lead. 3-5
- ⦿ Second game underway and the Malaysians are two points ahead already. India pulls one back as Chirag’s smash is deflected out of the court by Soh. 2-3
- ⦿ INDIA TAKES THE FIRST GAME! 22-20. But this doesn’t mean they can relax as at one point Satwik-Chirag has a five point lead over the Malaysians. This game was too close fot comfort for the Indians
- ⦿ Game point number 2 for Chirag-Satwik. 21-20
- ⦿ It’s 20 all. Brilliant piece of defending from Malaysia.
- ⦿ Malaysians equalise and they are pumped up. Chirag’s serve gets more elevation than intended and Chia buries the shuttle on India’s side. 19-19
- ⦿ Scores level yet again. Soh does well to reach Chirag’s shot but the shuttle goes under the net. 18-18
- ⦿ Fantastic rally and the Malaysians take the lead for the first time and at a crucial juncture. Are Satwik-Chirag letting this one slip? 17-18
- ⦿ The Indians gain a one point lead slender lead but a blunder from Chirag as he gives away an easy smash chance for Chia and he pounces on it. 17-17
- ⦿ Parity restored. Soh’s smash lands near Satwik’s abdomen and he misses it. 16-16
- ⦿ Yet another elite defense from Satwik-Chirag. But the Malaysians get a point back with a good cross court smash. 16-15
- ⦿ Two smashes directed towards Satwik. First defended well but thhe second one finds the net. 15-14
- ⦿ Its 14-11 in favour of the Indians as a challenge goes unsuccessful for the Malaysians. Chia-Soh pulls one back, thanks to a service fault from Chirag. 14-12
- ⦿ The Indians are manuevering with ease, good line of play from the seventh seeds to take a point. 13-11
- ⦿ 3 consecutive points for the Malaysians. Chirag concedes as his smash goes wide. 12-11
- ⦿ Attempted drop from Chirag but the shuttle finds the net. Deficit reduced to just three. 12-9
- ⦿WOW! DEFENSE MASTERCLASS FROM Satwik! Three smashes and all three are returned. Satwik, take a bow. The final smash goes past the back boundary as India collect a well deserved point from a 25-shot rally. 12-7
- ⦿The Indian pair leads 11-6 at the interval of first game. Shot selection, communication, judgements.. everything working out as intended for Chirag-Satwik
- ⦿ Good communication between the Indians. Calm and composed whatsoever, pockets a couple of quick points. 9-6
- ⦿ Towering smash from Chirag as the shuttle was lofted to his advantage. Point for India. 7-6
- ⦿ Point for India as a shot from the Malaysians lands outside the long boundary and is ruled wide. Surprising that they haven’t taken a review as it looked too close. 5-4
- ⦿ Beauty!! Satwik with yet another smash, his racket almost touches the net but misses by a whisker. 4-3
- ⦿ An electrifying crowd this time around and Satwik-Chirag opens the account. Satwik smashes, Chia tries to defend but finds the net. The exact replica happens with the Indians and its 1-1
- ⦿ The warm-ups are done and the game is underway
- ⦿ The players make their way into the middle! A mouth watering clash awaits
It is now time for some Indian action! Satwik and Chirag are gearing up to face Chia and Soh of Malaysia. The Malaysians are the favourites to win this battle as they assert a 5-0 domination in head-to-head statistics but the Indian duo have had a very successful run this season and will hope to overturn this deficit.
While you’re here, you can read what the Satwik-Chirag duo had to say after thier sensational win against Japan’s Toki and Kobayashi in the previous round HERE!
In the women’s doubles category, top seeds Chen Quing Chen and Jia Yi Fan are up against the Japanese pair of Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara. The Chinese are currently dominating the home side 9-4 and understandably so as they are much more calm and composed than their counterparts, who are feeling the heat.
A four point lead for the top seeds at the interval of first game, 11-4 as it stands. Chen is absolutely fired up as usual as they still lead 15-11 against the 6th seeds. Chen-Jia pair takes the first game 21-13. The Chinese pair is well on track for a place in the final, having a 11-4 lead at the second game’s interval. They are just 3 points away from a place in the final, 18-13. DONE AND DUSTED! Chen-Jia qualify for the finals! Scoreline reads - 21-13, 21-14
In the opening match of the day, Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan continued their rich vein of form to beat comaptriots Fajan Alfan-Muhammad Rian pair 23-21, 21-12, 21-16. Ahsan-Setiawan, with this win, have not only secured a place in the final but also are still unbeaten at the Worlds.
DAY 5 RECAP:
On Friday afternoon in Tokyo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty entered the Badminton World Championships record books. Beating defending world champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 24-22, 15-21, 21-14 in an hour and 15 minutes, they not just made it to the semifinals, but also became the first Indian men’s doubles pair to be assured of a medal at the BWF World Championships.
It was India’s second World Championships medal in doubles with Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa claiming the first way back in 2011 in the women’s doubles.
Satwik-Chirag pair, in the semifinal battle, will take on sixth seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik from Malaysia.
“We don’t want to stop here. We want to go further. But this is what we were aiming for. We wanted to keep our body fit and do well,” Satwik told reporters after the match.
MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila’s fine run came to an end after the Indian pair lost to three-time gold medallists Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in their men’s doubles quarterfinals.
The unseeded Indian combination, who had some sensational wins this week, lost 8-21, 14-21 to the third-seeded Indonesian pair, which is undefeated at the Worlds, in less than 30 minutes, drawing curtains to its campaign.
The Indians had earlier defeated eighth seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark in the second round.
India’s HS Prannoy was beaten by China’s Zhao Jun Peng in the quarterfinals. The world no. 18 who had beaten his compatriot Lakshya Sen in a gruelling round of 16 match on Thursday, fell to the 23-rd ranked Zhao 21-19, 6-21, 18-21.
In case you’re wondering where to watch the matches live, here’s the answer:
The live streaming of the BWF World Championships 2022 will be available in India on Voot Select and JioTV. You can also watch it live on Sports 18.
