India's Satwiksairaj-Chirag Shetty Dominate China Masters, Advance to Badminton Final

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have advanced to their second consecutive men's doubles final at the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament. The Indian pair secured a straight-game victory over Malaysian former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.The Asian Games champions, who recently won a World Championships bronze and finished as runners-up at the Hong Kong Open, defeated Aaron and Soh 21-17, 21-14 in a commanding performance.The Indians entered the match with a previous record of 4-11 against the Malaysian Olympic medalists. They had recently defeated Aaron and Soh during their World Championships bronze medal run in Paris.The Indians displayed an aggressive playing style with strong defense and dominated the front court during the 41-minute semifinal. The Malaysian side, particularly Aaron, struggled to maintain their rhythm.The first game was competitive with both teams showing determination. The Malaysians built a 10-7 lead with four consecutive points, but Aaron's three errors allowed the Indians to recover.At 14-13, Aaron's net error shifted momentum to the Indians. Satwik's powerful smashes and their opponents' mistakes helped them reach 18-14. A precise return from Satwik earned them four game points, securing the first game on their second attempt.The Indians started strong in the second game, taking a 5-2 lead. Satwik's powerful shots and Chirag's skillful net play extended their advantage to 8-2. Despite the Malaysians closing to 6-8, the Indians maintained an 11-6 lead at the break.The Malaysian pair reduced the gap to 9-11, but the Indians surged ahead to 15-9. At 16-12, Satwik delivered a powerful smash followed by a fortunate net cord point, while their opponents continued to make errors.Chirag sealed the victory with a deep return and a decisive smash, confirming their place in the final.READ ALSO: ‘D Gukesh is not even 20 yet’: FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 was an eye-opener in many ways