Published on Sep 6:
SHENZHEN (China): 2022 Asian Games Gold medallists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made history on Sunday, capturing India's first-ever title at the China Masters. The duo secured their second BWF World Tour Super 750 title of the season by defeating China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 at the Shenzhen Arena.
The final capped off a demanding week for Satwik and Chirag, who spent over five hours on court across the tournament. The physical toll seemed evident early in the match, as the Chinese pair fed off the home crowd's energy to comfortably take the opening game. However, playing in their third China Masters final after runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2025, the Indians drew on their experience. They quickly found their rhythm and took the second game to push the match to a decider.
The final game was a tight, back-and-forth battle. He and Ren controlled the early rallies, but the Indian duo kept things close, eventually leveling the score at 7-all. Trailing 16-17 late in the match, Satwik and Chirag found another gear. They won five straight points to close out the match in one hour and 10 minutes.
This milestone win adds to a solid 2026 season for the pair, following their Singapore Open victory in May. Coming back from a game down against the home favorites provides a timely boost of momentum as they gear up to defend their Asian Games title later this month.