Satwik-Chirag beat Chinese pair Ren Xiang Yu and Xie Haonan 21-14, 21-14 in quarter-finals
India pairing expresses satisfaction with performance
PV Sindhu earlier lost 14-21, 13-21 to An Se Young in women's singles quarters
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, India's leading men's doubles badminton duo, continued their impressive run at the China Masters Super 750 tournament in Shenzhen on Friday (September 19, 2025). They advanced to the semi-finals by defeating the Chinese pair Ren Xiang Yu and Xie Haonan with a commanding score of 21-14, 21-14 in the last-eight stage.
The former world number one Indian pairing recently secured its second World Championships bronze medal in Paris and stood runners-up at the Hong Kong Open post that.
Satwik remarked, "We felt quite comfortable out there. Our goal was just to focus on our game and see how they responded. Right now, the way we’re playing, it feels great — especially being able to play back-to-back matches freely, without any niggles, really happy with how we played today."
Chirag added, "I think we made it tough for them right from the start. We didn’t allow them to settle into the game at all. They’re definitely a strong pair, but our plan was to keep things simple and take an early lead — and we managed to do that. So yes, really happy with the performance."
Currently ranked ninth in the world, Satwik and Chirag are set to face their arch-rivals and second seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia in the semi-finals on Saturday.
PV Sindhu Falls To An Se Young In Women's Singles Quarter-Finals
Earlier in the tournament, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu's challenging run against world No.1 An Se Young continued as she suffered her eighth consecutive defeat to the Korean player. Sindhu lost 14-21, 13-21 in the women's singles quarterfinals.
Reflecting on her performance, Sindhu commented, "Last week wasn't great for me, but this week has been really positive. Reaching the quarterfinals has been encouraging, and I think the key now is to maintain that level and stay consistent in everything I do."
Sindhu started her match trailing 1-6 but managed to narrow the gap to 5-9 with a delicate cross-court drop. However, An Se Young used her trademark smashes to build an 11-5 lead at the interval. Sindhu closed in at 11-14 but could not overcome An's dominance as the Korean sealed the opener when Sindhu hit into the net.
In the second game, Sindhu briefly led 3-2 before An regained control. Despite her attacking play and a momentary narrowing of the gap to 7-8, An's superior deception allowed her to maintain an 11-7 advantage at the break. After resumption, An pulled away to 14-7, secured eight match points, and ultimately sealed the victory when Sindhu erred once more.
Match Analysis: Key Moments From Doubles And Singles Clashes
Satwik and Chirag began their quarterfinal match with a burst of energy, unleashing a series of powerful smashes to take a 7-0 lead. Although a few errors allowed Ren Xiang Yu and Xie Haonan to close in at 3-8, the Indian pair maintained their rhythm and entered the interval with an 11-5 advantage.
The Chinese duo attempted quick flat rallies and front-court play, but the duo’s sharp aggression prevailed. Chirag's flick serve pushed the score to 13-7, and another intense rally resulted in a Chinese error, giving India a 17-10 lead. A sharp body attack and precise toss helped them clinch the opening game on their second game point.
The second game was more competitive initially, with both pairs level at 7-7. Disciplined net play and incisive smashes saw the duo pull ahead 11-9 at the mid-game interval. After the break, two consecutive smashes from Chirag made it 19-13 before they sealed the match by converting their first match point with another aggressive stroke.
In contrast, Sindhu's match against An Se Young was marked by early struggles, fine front-court drops, and round-the-head smashes that failed to close the gap.
Sindhu acknowledged her errors, noting, "I think there were some good rallies, but I made a few unforced errors. I gave her an early lead, and she kept maintaining a 5-6 point advantage throughout. Even when I tried closing the gap, she would pull ahead again. Overall, though, it was a good experience - I'm playing against her after a long time."
(With PTI inputs)
