Satwik-Chirag exit after semifinal loss to Hoki-Kobayashi at Denmark Open

India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty fell agonisingly wanting a last berth, taking place to Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of their males’s doubles conflict on the Denmark Open Super 750 on Saturday (October 18, 2025).

The Asian Games champions, who had reached back-to-back finals on the Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750, displayed large grit to bounce again after shedding the opening recreation.

But the Indian duo pale within the closing levels of the decider to go down 21-23, 21-18, 16-21 towards the 2021 world champions in a 68-minute contest noticed a battle of lightning-fast exchanges and razor-sharp rallies.

With their exit, India’s marketing campaign on the $950,000 event got here to an finish.

Coming into the match with a 4-1 head-to-head benefit and three consecutive wins over the Japanese pair, the world No. 7 Indians began as favourites on paper.

But former winners Hoki and Kobayashi confirmed higher initiative, precision and coordination to outwit the Indians at essential junctures.

The Indians led 4-1 within the opening recreation however a spate of unforced errors allowed the Japanese to show the tables and transfer forward 5-4. Kobayashi’s angled smashes and Hoki’s sharp returns gave them a three-point cushion at 9-6 earlier than they went into the mid-game interval main 11-6.

Satwik and Chirag regained rhythm after the break, taking six of the following eight factors to slim the deficit to 12-13. Flat exchanges and higher management from the again helped them draw degree at 14-14, however the Japanese edged forward after successful a grueling 24-shot rally to make it 19-17.

A advantageous internet shot from Satwik and an error from Hoki introduced it to 19-all, earlier than Chirag’s sharp return earned them a recreation level.

However, Satwik missed a simple probability, permitting the Japanese to remain in competition. A whipping smash from Satwik fetched one other recreation level, however Kobayashi saved it with a flat cross return earlier than the Japanese sealed the opener as Chirag’s serve return hit the web.

The Indians regrouped effectively within the second recreation. Chirag’s aggression on the internet and a few sharp placement gave them a 9-7 lead, which they maintained at 16-14.

A service error from the Japanese prolonged the benefit to 18-15, and regardless of Kobayashi’s steep smashes, Satwik earned two recreation factors earlier than Chirag completed it off with a cross return to pressure a decider.

The last recreation became a tense battle of angles and fast reflexes as each pairs appeared to dominate the primary three to 4 photographs of every rally. Chirag’s good line judgments stored India degree at 5-5, however a few errors — together with a service fault and lengthy returns — noticed them path 6-8.

Kobayashi’s precision from the again and Hoki’s proactive internet play helped the Japanese set up a 10-7 lead. The Indians clawed again to take a slender 11-10 benefit on the break after Kobayashi went lengthy.

However, the Japanese pair upped the tempo after resumption, successful a 31-shot rally and tightening their protection to surge forward 13-11. With steep assaults and superior anticipation, they stretched the result in 17-13.

A physique return from Chirag briefly caught Kobayashi on the neck because the Indians diminished the margin to 16-19, however one other internet error from Chirag handed the Japanese 4 match factors. Kobayashi then closed it out with an correct return to guide their first last look of the 12 months.