RANKIREDDY/SHETTY pull LIANG/WANG out of the race

Not to be the first to lift... 

An exiting Men's Doubles match between two top 10 pairs accustomed to perform at the adidas Arena. RANKIREDDY/SHETTY won the Yonex IFB Championships in 2024 and LIANG/WANG the Olympic Silver last summer. These two pairs have also already won bronze medals at the World Championships in 2023 for the Chinese and in 2022 for the Indians. The latest confrontations seem to give an advantage to LIANG/WANG, who have won their last four meetings, but will they win again today? 

The first set is quite tactical. The game is very flat and both pairs try not to lift the shuttle. Both pairs are afraid of the other team smashes. For example, Satwiksairaj RANKIREDDY holds the record of the fastest smash (565 km/h). In this configuration, it is the Chinese who take the advantage to gain the first set despite a comeback from the Indians at the end of the set: 21/19. 

... to get the attack and go to the quarter finals 

The tactics seem to remain the same for both sides in this second game: play flat or net shots and not to be the first to lift the shuttlecock. But this time it is the Indians who are more dominant and who offer themselves a deciding game: 21/15. 

The third set clearly escalates in intensity. The rallies continued, and both pairs are playing exceptionally well. The level of the two teams is very close, and ties are succeeding until they reach 17/17. But it is SHETTY and RANKIREDDY who put in some extra energy required to win the final points and qualify once again for the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships: 21/17.