Satwik-Chirag, Lakshya move to second round at Japan Open
Tokyo, Jul 16: Star Indian doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty sailed into the second round while Lakshya Sen also moved to the next round in the singles’ segment of the Japan Open Super 750 with dominant straight-game wins here on Wednesday.
In men’s doubles, Satwik and Chirag, currently ranked 15th in the world, defeated the Korean duo of Kang Min Hyuk and Kim Dong Ju 21-18, 21-10 in just 42 minutes.
The former world No. 1 pair took some time to settle in, with the Koreans matching them early in the first game. But once the Indians found their rhythm, they were unstoppable, dominating the second game with clinical precision.
Meanwhile, Lakshya who has struggled with form this season making a string of first-round exits, looked sharp as he dispatched China’s Wang Zheng Xing 21-11, 21-18.
The world No. 18 Lakshya was in complete control in the opening game, racing to an 11-2 lead before sealing it with minimal fuss.
While Xing mounted a better challenge in the second game, Lakshya capitalised on his early momentum to stay ahead and close out the match in straight games.
He will next face seventh seed and local favourite Kodai Naraoka in the round of 16. (Agencies)
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