India Open 2024: Satwik-Chirag Into Quarterfinals; Prannoy Fights Back To Knock Out Rajawat

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India's top doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty eased into the men's doubles quarterfinal of India Open 2024 following straight games win over Chinese Taipei's Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han on Thursday (January 18).

The second seeded Indian duo defeated the Chinese Taipei pair by a scoreline of 21-14, 21-15 in the second round match that lasted 46 minutes on Court 1 at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

Satwik-Chirag pair, who finished as runners up in last week's Malaysia Open 2024, will next face fifth seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen of Denmark in the last 8 match on Friday (January 19).

While Rankireddy and Shetty kept India's challenge alive in the men's doubles category, the top ranked men's singles shuttler HS Prannoy secured a come-from-behind victory over compatriot Priyanshu Rajawat to reach the quarterfinals.

The eighth seeded Prannoy, who dropped the closely contested first game 20-22, fought back to force the decider with a 21-14 win in the second game before seeing off the fellow Indian 21-14 in the men's singles second round match that lasted an hour and 16 minutes on Court 2.

The Asian Games bronze medallist will next face the winner of the all-Chinese Taipei second round match between Wang Tzu Wei and Su Li Yang in the last eight match on Friday.

Earlier on Thursday (January 18), Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu stunned defending men's singles champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. Lee came from a game down to beat reigning world champion Kunlavut 16-21, 22-20, 23-21 in an hour and 22 minutes.

The morning session also saw former world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan and All England champion Li Shi Feng of China biting the dust. Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan defeated Yamaguchi 21-11, 21-19 while Japan's Koke Watanabe upset third seed Feng 14-21, 21-13, 21-9.

In other women's singles matches, defending champion An-Se Young of South Korea had to fight hard for a 21-19, 14-21, 21-14 win over Beiwen Zhang of USA.

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei and two-time World Championships bronze medallist He Bing Jao of China also secured comfortable wins over their respective opponents.

Tai defeated Supanida Katethong 21-12, 21-11 while He Bing Jao packed off Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-6, 21-11.