Ranked 35 in the world and lone Indian in the main draw, Sathiyan had to play out of his skin to down Freitas 4-3 in the elite Platinum tournament.
The Indian lost the first game 4-11 but fought back in his usual aggressive way, winning the next games 11-9, 11-9.
But the Portuguese was not ready to give up, clawing his way back into the contest by clinching the next two games 11-8, 11-6.
A valiant Sathiyan managed to level the match 3-3, battling to an 11-9 victory. With everything to play for in the decider, he showed great temperament to race to an 11-7 win for a sensational victory.
“It was a wonderful victory and I am very satisfied with the way I performed today. I just hope to continue my streak and go as deep as possible in the tournament,” Sathiyan said after the match.
He next plays China’s World No. 2 Xu Xin for a place in the quarterfinals
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