Malaysia Open 2024: Satwik-Chirag Through To Second Round; Prannoy, Sen Crash Out

Top Indian doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty progressed to the second round of Malaysia Open 2024 following straight games win over Indonesia's Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana on Wednesday (January 10).

The world number 2 pair from India defeated the world number 9 pair fron Indonesia by a scoreline of 21-18, 21-19 in the men's doubles first round match that laster 44 minutes on court 2 at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Rankireddy and Shetty, who recieved the Khel Ratna award on Tuesday (January 9), will next face France's Lucas Korvee and Ronan Labar on Thursday (January 11) in the pre-quarterfinals.

While Satwik-Chirag advanced, the top singles shuttler from the country, world number HS Prannoy suffered an early exit from the Malaysia Open Super 1000 badminton tournament following straight games loss to 9th ranked Anders Antonsen of Denmark.

The in-form Indian singles star and eighth seed Prannoy lost to the Dane Antonsen by a scoreline of 14-21, 11-21 in the men's singles opener that lasted 43 minutes on court 1.

Later on Wednesday (January 10), Lakshya Sen also made an early exit in men's singles competition following straight games 15-21, 16-21 against China's Weng Hong Yang in the first round match that lasted 49 minutes on court 2.

Earlier on Tuesday (January 9), men's singles star Kidambi Srikanth and women's doubles team of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto reached the second round of the Malaysia Open after contrasting wins.

Former world number 1 Srikanth, who has been going through a lean phase, notched up a stunning 12-21 21-18 21-16 come-from-behind win over sixth seed Indonesian Jonathan Christie. The 30-year-old will next face Hong Kong's NG Ka Long Angus.

Ponnappa-Crasto, meanwhile, registered straight games 21-13, 21-16 win over American pair Francesca Corbett and Allison Lee. The Indian duo will next face Japan's Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara, who eased past India's Rutaparna Panda & Swetaparna Panda 21-12, 21-11.

Also, making a first round exit on Tuesday (January 9) were a women's singles shuttler and a men's doubles team as Akarshi Kashyap and Dhruv Kapila-MR Arjun pair suffered straight games loss.