India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, saw their impressive run at the BWF World Tour Finals come to an end after a semifinal loss to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang on Saturday.
The Indian duo started strongly, taking the opening game in dominant fashion, but could not sustain the momentum as the Chinese pair staged a comeback to win 10-21, 21-17, 21-13 in a one-hour-and-three-minute contest.
Also Read: Dale Steyn calls Hardik Pandya a superhero who operates on another level
Satwik and Chirag had beaten the same opponents in the group stage and entered the semifinals unbeaten. However, when the stakes were highest, Liang and Wang flipped the script to deny the Indians a place in the final. Despite the loss, Satwik and Chirag created history by becoming the first Indian men’s doubles pair to reach the semifinals of the season-ending showpiece.
The opening game was all India. Targeting Liang with sharp serves and clinical third-shot attacks, Satwik and Chirag moved from 6–6 to 9–6 before a fierce smash from Chirag opened up a four-point lead at the interval. Satwik’s dominance at the net and mid-court helped India string together eight consecutive points, and they sealed the game comfortably as the Chinese pair faltered under pressure.
China responded strongly in the second game. Cleaner serves, better placement and a few unforced errors from the Indians allowed the home pair to take early control. Though Chirag’s awareness at the net and powerful cross-court smashes helped India level the scores at 11–11, brief lapses on serve return proved costly. Liang and Wang held their nerve in the closing stages to force a decider.
The third game saw China seize complete control. Wang Chang’s early aggression and Liang’s relentless smashes pushed the Indians onto the back foot, with Satwik and Chirag repeatedly forced into defensive lifts. Trailing 2–10 at the interval, the Indians struggled to regain rhythm. A late rally reduced the deficit, but it was too little, too late as China closed out the match to book their spot in the final.
