India Open: Satwik-Chirag flattened by the flat exchanges as world No 2 from Malaysia break Indian hearts

In their post-match analysis, the Indians made an interesting observation about the height difference. While their physicality is a big reason for all the success they have had on tour, sometimes, it can go the other way too. “The shuttles were too fast and they are good at their flat game,” Satwik explained after the match. “Because they are shorter than us, and their hands are very strong we couldn’t really control the pace of the rallies. They were really good at blocking also whereas we were not in a rhythm.”

Satwik added to BWF: “The Malaysians are good at this flat game especially when the shuttle is fast. We’re tall; it’s sometimes difficult for us to bend here and there, it’s not our natural game. But no complaints. Nowadays if you see, men’s doubles has become a lot about service and receiving situations.”

Indeed, the flat game is where the Malaysian duo, especially Goh, caught the Indians off guard. While SatChi had lost just one of their previous seven matches, they had not met since May 2022. In the time since, Goh and Izzuddin have been a transformed pairing, climbing the rankings and even going past their more decorated compatriots Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. And that brought with it an element of newness.

“Possibly,” was Chirag’s response when asked if they were surprised by the Malaysians’ gameplay as they have not played each other for 32 months. “I think we should have closed down the first game but credit to them, I think they were quite good in the service situations which we didn’t really expect because probably we didn’t prepare for it. But having said that, I think we should have been a little calmer,” Chirag added. “We didn’t really expect so many flicks going into the game. Especially from 15-12.”

The 15-12 moment came up quite often in the post-match discussion because at that point, the Indians were running away with the opening game. They were on a run of winning 5 out of the previous six points. But what followed was the longest rally of the match at that point, a 32-shot exchange that Goh took control at the net after neutralising some early attacking pressure, before Izzuddin’s driven backhand (flat, of course) induced the error.

Momentum shift

From there, the momentum shifted. A run of seven straight points followed for the Malaysians, including one of those flick serves by Goh, in the span of 2 minutes and 56 seconds – that’s how quickly the match swung away from India.

“We’ve played them multiple times before, but this is the first time we saw a different strategy from them in the first three shots,” Chirag said. Satwik elaborated: “Compared to the last few days, today the shuttle was very fast. Whoever was controlling the net, they were getting the points. And they controlled it much better. If the shuttles would have been a little slow, maybe we would have woken up and played a little bit more of a rally game. But they are quite good in the first four strokes and they were getting quick points… like in 30 seconds, they were getting 2-3 points immediately. We could have broken their rhythm.”

There was an element of fightback in the second game too, as the Indians caught up from 2-8 down to level things up to 14-14. But Goh and Izzuddin closed out the match, yet again on a streak of seven points.

Three semifinals in three tournaments since they returned to action after the Paris Olympics is a mark of their consistency, and the ability to pick up from where they left off on the World Tour. But crossing the semifinal hurdles in subsequent big events this year will require Satwik and Chirag, along with coach Tan Kim Her, to iron out the flaws. On Saturday, Chirag was constantly stretching because of stiffness in his back while Satwik said he was worried he might have twisted his ankle badly after slipping during a rally in the second game. So more importantly, this comeback requires the Indians to remain fit.