Star Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into their second successive males’s doubles final with a medical straight-game win over former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia on the China Masters Super 750 badminton match on Saturday (September 21, 2025).
Fresh from a World Championships bronze and a runner-up end on the Hong Kong Open final week, the Asian Games champions outclassed their long-time nemesis Aaron and Soh 21-17 21-14 in a dominating efficiency.
In the final on Sunday (September 22), Satwik and Chirag will face the highest seed and world champion Korean pair of Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, who beat Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri of Indonesia 21-13 2-17 within the semifinals.
Satwik and Chirag got here into the match with a 4-11 head-to-head report towards the Malaysian duo, who’re two-time Olympic medallists. However, the Indians had not too long ago acquired the higher of Aaron and Soh en path to their bronze medal on the World Championships in Paris.
On Saturday, the Indians got here out with an all-out attacking method, backed by a strong defence, whereas additionally dominating the entrance court docket because the Malaysians — significantly Aaron — regarded out of kinds throughout the 41-minute semifinal conflict.
“(It) feels great, last week we were talking that we had played a lot of semi-finals this year, weren’t able to play a final but finally we got to play a final last week, although we couldn’t go on to win,” mentioned Chirag after Saturday’s win.
“But yeah, really happy that we could play a final last week as well and same this week. I think we want to do better than we did last week this time around.
“Will take relaxation first clearly, after which put together for the final tomorrow. So yeah wanting ahead to tomorrow,” he added.
The opening game was a tight affair with both pairs fighting tooth and nail. Aaron and Soh grabbed a 10-7 lead with four straight points. But three errors from Aaron — including a service fault — allowed Satwik and Chirag to claw back. The Malaysians still held a slender one-point advantage at the interval.
At 14-13, Aaron faltered again at the net, handing the initiative back to the Indians. A flurry of smashes from Satwik and errors from their rivals took the Indians to 18-14. A sharp return from Satwik gave them four game points and they sealed the opener on the second opportunity.
In the second game, Satwik and Chirag raced to a 5-2 lead after the change of ends, with Satwik’s smashes and Chirag’s deft front-court play helping them stretch it to 8-2. Though the Malaysians narrowed the gap to 6-8, the Indians went into the interval with an 11-6 cushion.
Aaron and Soh reduced it to 9-11, but the Indians responded with another surge to make it 15-9. At 16-12, Satwik produced a thunderous smash followed by a lucky net cord, and the Malaysians’ errors mounted.
Chirag applied the finishing touches with a deep return and a decisive smash to close out the contest.
Asked about their impressive counter-attacking play, Satwik said, “It’s all about confidence. We have been practising that for a few years. After the World Championship, we acquired numerous confidence as a result of we had been lastly on the rostrum.
“So at the World Championship, we got that feeling. We want that feeling again and again, and in Hong Kong, we got the taste again and here also. I think it’s all about confidence and playing calm and playing your game and making it clear. On the podium, but you just know you are missing one step.”
On their health and the way they’re holding up, Satwik mentioned, “In the first half (of the year), we got a lot of breaks because of injuries. Right now we both are in good condition, finger crossed. Hopefully we’ll continue this form.”
