Satwik-Chirag won first game 21-10 against Liang-Wang
Chinese pair took second game 21-17 to force decider
Indians ran out of steam in third game, losing it 13-21
The impressive run of ace Indian men's doubles pairing Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty at the BWF World Tour Finals came to an end, as they lost in the semi-finals to China's Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in Hangzhou on Saturday (December 20, 2025).
The Indians looked almost invincible in the first game, taking it by a thumping 21-10 margin. But they failed to capitalise on the advantage, going down 21-10, 17-21, 13-21 in the last-four contest that lasted one hour and three minutes.
Satwik and Chirag had defeated their opponents in the group stage but the former world number one Chinese pair turned the tables on them when it mattered the most.
The Indian duo was unbeaten in the group stage in the season-ending tournament but Saturday's defeat meant that they could not become the first men's pair to reach the summit clash of the coveted event. They, however, have already created history by becoming the first Indian men's doubles pair to reach the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.
How Semi-Final Panned Out
The two pairs split the first 10 points, with the Indians targeting Liang. Patient and composed, the Indians dictated terms to move to 9–6 before a smash from Chirag gave them a four-point cushion at the break.
With Satwik once again stepping up, covering the third shot while serving to Liang, the Indians kept a firm grip on the rallies. A run of eight straight points gave them a commanding 10-point advantage. They sealed the first game at the first opportunity as the Chinese found the net again.
Good serve and precise third shots helped the Chinese take a 6–3 lead in the second game, helped by a few unforced errors from the Indians. A Chirag smash and a wide shot from the Chinese brought India back to 7–7, but the local favourites edged 9–7 ahead before Liang committed a short service error.
The Chinese maintained a two-point cushion at the interval. On resumption, Chirag pounced on a weak return at the net and followed it up with a venomous cross-court smash to level it at 11–11. However, an uncharacteristic error on return of serve from Satwik and a moment of indecision at the baseline from Chirag cost India two quick points.
The Chinese pair stayed two points ahead at 17–15, though Chirag’s tactical awareness kept India breathing down their necks at 17–19. A between-the-legs attempt from Satwik sailed long, handing China three game points. The home pair forced a decider with a soft tap at the net from Liang.
Wang Chang was on fire early in the third game, while Liang rained down smashes as China raced to a 6–1 lead. The Indians were repeatedly lured into lifting from awkward positions and they struggled to read the flick serves, resulting in one-way traffic as they fell behind 2–10.
Satwik and Chirag appeared a fraction late on their shots and were left with a mountain to climb at the break. Resuming at 2–11, the nightmare continued as they slipped further to 2–14.
The Indians clawed their way back to 11–19 before a Satwik lift went long. Liang then committed two unforced errors, but Chirag found the net soon after, cutting short the brief comeback.
(With PTI inputs)
