BWF Worlds: Satwik-Chirag win 2nd bronze after gritty display in semifinal defeat

India’s men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, came up short in a thrilling semifinal at the BWF World Championships, losing 19-21, 21-18, 12-21 to China’s Liu Yi and Chen Bo Yang. Despite the loss, the Indians achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first Indian men’s doubles pair to secure multiple World Championships medals.

The contest began with Satwik and Chirag dominating early, racing to a 4-0 lead and forcing the Chinese onto the defensive. The Indians held a 9-3 advantage before Liu and Chen gradually found their rhythm, leveling at 12-12. Despite a spirited fightback, Satwik-Chirag lost key challenges, allowing the Chinese to edge ahead and take the first set 21-19.

Undeterred, the Indian duo responded strongly in the second set. They surged to a 5-1 lead, only to see the Chinese close the gap to 16-16. Satwik’s defensive resilience and Chirag’s attacking flair helped India regain control, eventually clinching the second set 21-18 to level the match at one game each. The victory would have made them the first Indian men’s doubles pair to reach a World Championships final, adding to their bronze from 2022.

The decider, however, is where the Indian duo lost the game. A poor start resulted in Liu and Chen racing to a 7-0 lead, leaving Satwik-Chirag struggling to find their rhythm. Risky attacking shots and missed challenges allowed the Chinese to dominate, extending their lead to 17-7. Despite some late rallies, the Indians could not recover, and Liu/Chen converted their first match point at 20-12 before a final out-of-bounds shuttle sealed the 21-12 win.

While the semifinal defeat ended India’s campaign, Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty still wrote history. Their performance confirmed India’s growing strength in men’s doubles, adding to the nation’s only other doubles World Championships medal won in 2011 by Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in women’s doubles. The duo’s resilience, skill, and ability to challenge the world’s top pairs highlight a bright future for Indian men’s doubles badminton.