Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured bronze in Paris.
The duo faced China's Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the semi-final, losing 19-21, 21-18, 12-21
Satwik-Chirag previously won bronze in Tokyo 2022, marking their second
Injuries and personal challenges shaped their performance this season
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, India's top men's doubles badminton pair, concluded their campaign at the BWD World Championships 2025 in Paris with a bronze medal after a hard-fought semifinal loss on August 31.
The duo, former world No. 1s, faced China's 11th seeds Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi on Saturday evening local time. The match lasted 67 minutes and ended with scores of 19-21, 21-18, 12-21 in favour of the Chinese pair.
A day after assuring themselves of a medal, their bid to become the first Indian men's doubles pair to reach a world championship final fell short. This marks their second bronze medal at the prestigious event, having previously won bronze in Tokyo in 2022. Notably, this medal comes a year after an Olympic heartbreak at the Paris Games.
The match saw dramatic shifts. In the opening game, Satwik and Chirag put the Chinese on the ropes with a 9-3 lead through relentless attacks and sharp interceptions. However, Chen and Liu clawed back with flat defence and impeccable retrieval.
Dramatic moments unfolded as Chirag missed game point by going wide; although the duo saved two attempts, a blistering smash from the Chinese sealed the game at 21-19. A switch in sides sparked a surge, with India taking a 5-1 lead in the second game, highlighted by Satwik’s powerful smashes and Chirag's quick net play, culminating in a 21-18 win to force a decider.
The third game turned one-sided. Liu's flick serve unsettled Chirag repeatedly, and after a swift 9-0 lead, India trailed 3-11 following the change of ends. Despite Satwik’s booming smashes, mounting errors allowed Chen and Liu to clinch the game 21-12.
Satwik-Chirag React To World Championships Semi-Final Loss
On Friday, August 30, 2024, Satwik and Chirag stunned Malaysia's two-time Olympic medallists, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, in the quarterfinals, extending India's medal run at the tournament – a streak that began in 2011. However, in the semifinals, they struggled against the relentless defence and precise counter-attacks of Chen and Liu.
Chirag Shetty reflected on the loss, saying, "We didn't get really any rhythm. We didn't start off that well. We gave away easy points (in the third game). We should have been a bit smarter. But, credit to them. They served quite well, right from the start of the third game." He added that minor adjustments in service could have made a difference, but credited the Chinese for putting them out of position.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy commented, "They played with much more confidence, like we did in the first matches. Their body language... they were enjoying a little more than us. In the first game, even though we were leading, they were just giving what they have. I think that's what we did in the previous matches. Today, I think we played really well in patches, it's all about confidence, how strong you are mentally." He stressed the importance of mental strength and confidence in high-stakes encounters.
Satwik-Chirag Season Overview And Challenges
Satwik and Chirag's journey to another World Championships medal was marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Their campaign in Paris ended with this bronze medal, but it also brought an end to India's participation in this year's tournament. The pair had previously clinched a World Championships bronze in Tokyo in 2022, just a year after narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games.
Their season has been consistent, with semifinal appearances at both the Malaysia Open and India Open in January 2024. However, injuries and personal losses affected their momentum. Satwik faced health issues and endured the loss of his father in February, while Chirag was sidelined by a back injury for several weeks.
The duo regrouped later in the season, making quarterfinal appearances at the Indonesia Open and advancing to the last eight at both the Singapore Open and China Open.
Summing up their campaign in Paris, Chirag said, "This has been really good outing, played some good matches, beat players against whom we have not had good record in the previous matches. But, having said that, we couldn't play that final, but yeah, overall a good tournament."
(With PTI Inputs)
