Wong & Doo Edge Shah–Chitale in Five-Game Thriller at WTT Finals Hong Kong

In a match that delivered everything the WTT Finals promises high speed, dramatic momentum swings and nerves of steel the home duo of Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem edged India’s Manush Shah and Diya Chitale 3-2 in Group 1 mixed doubles on Thursday evening.

The Hong Kong pair prevailed 11-7, 11-3, 4-11, 12-10, 11-4, producing a roller-coaster contest that swung from one end of the court to the other and was decided only in the final game.

From the first point the match carried an urgent energy. Wong and Doo established the early pattern in the opening game with aggressive serves and quick, incisive rallies; they closed out the first game 11-7 without allowing the Indians to build any sustained pressure. The second game was more emphatic still 11-3 as the home pair’s pace and placement consistently put Manush and Diya on the back foot. At that stage it looked as if the match might be a routine victory for the favourites.

But that is the beauty of mixed doubles: partnerships that read and react well to pressure can change a match in a heartbeat. Manush and Diya dug in. The third game was a statement — an 11-4 win driven by sharper serves from Manush, sustained pressure from Chitale at the front, and a more proactive stance in the midcourt. The Indian pair began to dictate exchanges, forcing Wong and Doo into deeper returns and fewer winners.

The fourth game offered the match’s most intense theatre. It oscillated point by point, with neither partnership able to string together the sort of sequence that would produce a comfortable lead. Tactical timeouts and service changes punctuated the game the Indians used a timeout to disrupt Wong and Doo’s rhythm, while the home pair also sought breathing space to reset. At 10-9 it looked like Wong and Doo might snatch the game, but Manush and Diya fought back to force deuce.

The Indians then edged ahead to 11-10 before Wong and Doo hit back; the scoreboard registered 12-10 in favour of Manush and Diya a remarkable turnaround that levelled the match at 2-2 and sent the crowd into a sympathetic flutter for the young Indian duo.

That swing, however, did not carry into the decider. In the fifth game Wong and Doo reasserted control from the outset. Their opening rallies were faster and their returns deeper, pinning the Indians and reducing the opportunities for Manush’s attacking flicks and Chitale’s deft placement. Early points in game five tilted heavily to the Hong Kong side and the momentum proved decisive the home pair closed out the match 11-4.

Tactically, the match was an instructive study in mixed-doubles dynamics. Wong’s ability to open rallies with precise, attacking shots complemented Doo’s quick reflexes at the front. Against them, Manush’s power served as a constant threat and Chitale’s anticipatory reads produced several match-defining points.

The Indians’ comeback in games three and four showcased their resilience and adaptability they changed the centre of gravity of rallies by varying serve direction and mixing up pace but the decisive final game emphasised the importance of seizing early control in a tiebreak atmosphere.

There were several telling moments that shaped the final result. The Indians’ fourth-game timeout and subsequent mini-surge demonstrated superior mental strength, but the home pair’s experience at critical junctures ultimately prevailed. Service changes throughout the match were frequent and often influential; the winners used those transitions to apply pressure, especially in fifth-game starts and during pivotal mid-game exchanges.

For Manush Shah and Diya Chitale, the match will be remembered as an impressive showing of character. After a tentative start they rallied to push a top pairing to the limit, exposing defensive lapses and forcing errors at times. For Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the victory will be seen as a model of composure under pressure after losing consecutive games, they found a way to recompose and finish strongly when it mattered most.

Group-stage mathematics make every point valuable in a tournament of this format; this result keeps Hong Kong’s duo in a healthy position in Group 1 while India will rue missed opportunities but have no reason to be despondent — they showed they can compete at the highest level and will take lessons about closing out tight occasions into their next matches.

On a night when momentum swung wildly and the atmosphere in the arena matched the intensity on court, the match delivered as a showcase of mixed doubles at its best: tactical, fast and ultimately decided by which partnership could summon the sharper edge in the decider.

Wong and Doo managed that edge, and Hong Kong celebrated a home victory that underlined their credentials at the WTT Finals.