Satwik-Chirag pair qualifies for men's doubles quarterfinals
Paris, Jul 29: Medal contender Indian men's doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Monday qualified for the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics with one group match left in hand after the withdrawal of one pair and the loss suffered by another.
The world number three Indians were scheduled to meet the German duo of Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel on Monday in what was supposed to to be their second Group C match. But the match was cancelled following the withdrawal of Lamsfuss due to injury.
As per BWF General Competition Regulations for group-stage play, the results of all matches played, or yet to be played, involving Lamsfuss and Seidel will be considered "deleted". Any points from matches played against the Germans will not be counted.
As a result, the Group C of the men's doubles competition will be considered as a three-pair affair, with the duos of Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar of France and Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Fajar Alfian of Indonesia being the other two.
Asian Games champions Satwik-Chirag and the Indonesian pair have won a match each -- both against Frenchmen Corvee and Labar who, thus, have been eliminated after suffering two losses.
Since two teams each from the four groups qualify for the quarterfinals, Satwik-Chirag and Ardianto-Alfian pairs have qualified for the quarterfinals.
On Tuesday, the Satwik-Chirag duo faces the pair of Ardianto-Alfian to decide who tops the group.
The draw for the knock-out round of the men's doubles will be held on Wednesday, the BWF said.
Earlier, the BWF announced the withdrawal of German duo of Lamsfuss and Seidel from the competition.
"German men's doubles player Mark Lamsfuss has withdrawn from the Olympic Games Paris 2024 badminton competition due to a knee injury," the BWF said.
"Lamsfuss' and teammate Marvin Seidel's remaining Group C matches against India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (Court 3, 8.30am local time, 29 July 2024) and Lucas Corvee/Ronan Laaiod bar of France (Court 1, 'Not Before' 2.50pm local time, 30 July 2024) will not be played," it added.
Due to the withdrawal of the German pair, the Indonesians' win over Lamsfuss and Seidel on Saturday was also deleted.
Satwik and Chairag had opened their campaign with a 21-17 21-14 win over the French combination of Corvee and Labar on Saturday.
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India, Brazil set bilateral trade target of over USD 20 billion in 5 years
New Delhi (PTI): India and Brazil on Saturday set a bilateral trade target of more than USD 20 billion in the next five years, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, focussing in the areas of critical minerals and security.
Modi said the relations between India and Brazil have long benefitted from President Lula's visionary outlook and inspiring leadership.
He also noted that Brazil is India's largest trade partner in Latin America.
"We are committed to taking the India-Brazil trade beyond USD 20 billion in the next five years," the prime minister said in his media statement after the talks.
He asserted that when India and Brazil work together, the voice of the Global South becomes stronger.
Modi also said both countries agree that terrorism and its supporters are enemies of the entire humanity.
