Satwik-Chirag reach successive final, this time in China

Despite being right at the top, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty hadn't been able to make the final in 16 months since winning the Thailand Open in May 2024. Now, they have reached successive summit clashes in the span of a week

- Sandip Sikdar

The world No.7 combine came out with all guns blazing to oust men's doubles second seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia 21-17, 2I-14 in 41 minutes to reach the title clash of the $1.25 million China Masters in Shenzhen on Saturday. It was a statement win by the eighth seeds who still have a lopsided 5-Il head-to-head record against the 2022 world champions.

The reigning Asian Games champions have been in top form of late. Rankireddy and Shetty became only the third Indian player/pair—after Saina Nehwal (2) and PV Sindhu (5) — to win multiple World Championships medals when they clinched a bronze last month in Paris. The former world No.1 combine had also clinched a bronze in 2022.