It wasn't to be for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the final of the Malaysia Open Super 1000 as they lost a three-game thriller to the world no.1 Chinese pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.
It was a match that highlighted how close the margins are at the highest level of men's doubles badminton, and despite matching or even bettering the Chinese pair for spells during the match, a little blip cost the Indians the title.
It's not like Satwik and Chirag would've been unaware of those fine margins. Just a couple of months ago, at the China Masters, these two pairs played a thrilling final, where the Chinese pipped them in another three-game battle. There, Satwik and Chirag had saved six match points before a seventh was one too many.
The big momentum shift in the third game
That little blip in this final began when the Indians were 10-3 up in the third and deciding game. After a dominant first game where they didn't give the Chinese a sniff and won 21-10, a largely even second game went the Chinese's way 21-18.
Satwik and Chirag seemed to have put that out of the way at the beginning of the third game, as they attacked superbly and raced into a lead. And then, those little things that matter. A service error, a couple of loose lifts that gave Liang a chance to unleash his power, and the Chinese had the momentum on their side.
When they look back at this Malaysia Open final, they will look back on whether they could've pressed the initiative home a little more from 10-3 up. But they will also look back on how they responded to that period of Chinese pressure. When put under the pressure, the Indians served up some freebies that the Chinese, particularly Liang was only too happy to take. Satwik, in particular, struggled with getting the required depth on his lifts, and handed some easy putaways for Liang.
Once the Chinese built that momentum, they were nigh-on unstoppable. Wang bossed the front court, Liang delivered power on demand, and what was shaping up to be a dream start to 2024 turned into a bit of a disappointing evening for Satwik and Chirag.
A taste of their own medicine
It was a taste of the medicine that they'd served their opponents throughout the week. Satwik and Chirag had been expert problem-solvers.
In the first round against the Indonesians Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana, they trailed 9-15 in the second game and went on to win it.
In the second round against Frenchmen Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar, they trailed 6-13 in the second game and went on to win it.
Then in the semifinal against the Koreans Seo Seung Jae and Kang Min Hyuk, they trailed 14-20 in the second game and then rattled off eight points in a row to make the final.
A harsh reality check
Those wins, that ability to bounce back, is what they would take heart from at the end of this week. The lessons in elite sport though, are harsh, especially when they come at the cost of a title.
The good thing for Satwik and Chirag, though, is that this is only the first tournament of the year. It is a monumental year for them, as they head into the Olympics with the nation expecting from them.
They will be battle-hardened before they head to Paris. And with the number of tournaments they are playing, they are sure to face a variety of situations to handle, and problems to solve. Throughout this week in Malaysia, they've shown that they are in the top echelon of men's doubles badminton.
Come Paris, they'd want their ability to play their natural game under pressure to be perfected a little bit more. They'd have also learnt in Kuala Lumpur today that when you're well on top, there's nothing to gain by sitting back.
Satwik and Chirag play their best badminton when they attack fearlessly. When they become a bit ponderous and give their opponents a chance, players like Liang and Wang, and other pairs at the top like Seo/Kang, Aaron Chia/Sooh Wooi Yik, Kim Astrup/Anders Rasmussen will make them pay for it.
A good week to begin 2024 could've been so much more, but the lessons the final brought with it, if taken in the right way, has the potential to make 2024 an unforgettable year for Satwiksairaj and Chirag.