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Rankireddy-Shetty team enters Thailand Open final

Bangkok: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Saturday became the first Indian team to enter the summit clash of a BWF Super 500 tournament with a three-game win in the Thailand Open semifinals, here.

The world number 16 Indian team prevailed 22-20 22-24 21-9 against the 19th- ranked Korean team of Ko Sung Hyun and Shin Baek Cheol after battling hard for 63 minutes.

It is first final of the 2019 season for Rankireddy and Shetty, the men's doubles silver medallist at 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The unseeded India combination will face third seeds Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen of China in the summit clash on Sunday.

Rankireddy and Shetty were slow off the blocks as the Korean pair had the better share of exchanges in the first game to lead 3-0 and then 11-10 at the break.

But after the break, the Indians lifted their game and drew parity at 13 apiece before surging ahead 20-18. But Hyun and Cheol pocketed two consecutive points to draw level at 20-20.

The Indians kept their

composure and earned

two crucial points to take the first game.

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