Indian shuttlers Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy celebrated their victory after securing the China Masters title on Sunday. During the celebrations, Chirag removed his jersey and threw it into the stands.
Chirag Shetty's Back Brace Mystery Revealed: Indian Shuttler Gives Insight On Support Item Following China Open Victory
The Indian shuttler has been playing with the support since suffering a back injury at the 2025 All England Open. The injury support has remained part of the Indian star’s routine as he and Satwik continue their impressive season.
The celebration revealed the back brace that Chirag has been wearing for nearly one-and-a-half years. The Indian shuttler is often seen adjusting the support during matches.
Chirag began wearing the brace after suffering a back injury at the 2025 All England Open, which kept him out of action for nearly two months.
Speaking during a media interaction with News18 Sports, Chirag said, “Yes, I have been playing with it. I have been wearing the belt for almost a year and a half now, since the injury at the All England last year.”
The 28-year-old also said he hopes to try playing without the brace in December, when he expects to get around a month of proper training before a tournament.
“That is the plan. But until then, I am not confident enough to play without it,” Chirag added. Despite the injury concerns, Chirag and Satwik have produced strong performances on the international circuit. They finished runners-up at the Thailand Open in May before winning the Singapore Open later that month.
They then capped their recent run with a victory at the China Masters on Sunday, September 6, less than two weeks before beginning their Asian Games title defence.
The pair credited their recent success to an improvement in their physical condition. This came after a disappointing campaign at the BWF World Championships on home soil, where they suffered a straight-game defeat to Chinese pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the quarterfinals.
Comeback Win
In the China Masters final, Satwik and Chirag fought back from losing the opening game to beat He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17. The victory secured their maiden China Masters title and their second BWF World Tour title of the season.
The men’s doubles event at the Asian Games will begin on September 27, while the team event is scheduled to start on September 20.
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