World Championships: Satwik-Chirag, Treesa-Gayatri pairs enter round 3

Indian women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand produced a solid performance to enter round 3 with a straight-game win over Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun of Chinese Taipei. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Star Indian men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the pre-quarterfinals with a comfortable straight-game win over Australian duo of Kenneth Zhe Hooi Choo and Ming Chuen Lim in the World Championships here on Wednesday.

Indian women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also produced a solid performance to enter round 3 with a straight-game win over Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun of Chinese Taipei.

World No. 2 pair of Satwik and Chirag, who had won a maiden bronze in the last edition, produced a clinical display to see off their Australian rivals 21-16 21-9 in 30 minutes.

The reigning Commonwealth Games champions, who have won four titles this season, will face Indonesia’s 10th seeds Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin next.

Earlier, world number 19 Gayatri and Treesa, who reached the semifinals of the All England Championships in the last two editions, beat Chang and Yang, ranked 37th, 21-18 21-10 in 38 minutes.

The Indian pair, who had received a bye in the first round, will face an uphill task against top seed Chinese duo of Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan in their next round.

Satwik and Chirag hardly broke any sweat as they zoomed to 7-3 before entering the break with a four-point lead. The match hardly witnessed any long rallies as the Indians were cut above their rivals.

Satwik and Chirag maintained the lead after resumption, moving to 15-11 and then 17-13. Chirag eventually sent one down the middle to grab four game points and Satwik sealed the game with a return on the backline.

After 4-4 scoreline in the second game, Satwik and Chirag again moved ahead with their superior play. The duo entered the interval with a six-point cushion following a fast net exchange and a smash from Satwik. Choo and Lim tried to put pressure on the Indians but they lacked the wherewithal to trouble Satwik and Chirag, who soon grabbed 11 match points with a precise return from the Mumbaikar.

The Australians then went long to a return of serve to end the contest.

Treesa and Gayatri, the Commonwealth Games bronze winners, trailed 2-5 early on but soon started rotating the strike and extending the rallies to draw out errors from their opponents to turn it around, reaching 8-6.

Chang and Yang clawed their way back at 8-8 but the Indian pair managed an 11-9 lead at the break with the Taiwanese duo spraying into the net thrice.

Gayatri stepped up after the resumption, showing great anticipation at the front court as Indians led 14-11.

Treesa committed a few errors but the Indian duo still managed to keep its nose ahead.

A service error from Chang and Yang gave the Indian pair four game points. Treesa sent one wide and then hit the net to squander two of them before sealing it when Yang sprayed into the net.

After the change of sides, Gayatri and Treesa continued the momentum, leading 8-5 at one stage. A powerful return to serve handed the Indians a three-point cushion at the interval.

Gayatri and Treesa stepped up the pace after resumption to move to 14-8.

The Indian pair was called for a service fault due to height but it had absolutely no affect as the two rode on their rivals’ series of errors to soon move to 19-10.

A good rally ended with Yang’s forehand at the net as the Indians had 10 match points and they sealed the deal after their rivals went wide again.