Shenzhen, September 6 (Daily Kiran) : Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have captured the China Masters title in Shenzhen, a victory they describe as the end of a bad luck streak. This win provides a significant morale boost just ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
Having narrowly missed out on medals at last month’s BWF World Championships in New Delhi, the duo triumphed in the final against China’s Ji Ting and Ren Xiangyu with scores of 11-21, 21-13, 21-17. Previously, Rankireddy and Shetty had come close to winning the title twice but faced defeats in the finals. This time, they successfully secured their first championship.
After the match, Satwiksairaj expressed his joy, stating, “It always feels great to play here. We have returned to this court after recovering from injuries. I believe we last played here after the 2024 Olympics, reaching the semifinals. Last year, despite not being in great form, we made it to the finals. This tournament has given us a lot of confidence after our comebacks from injuries.”
Throughout the tournament, the pair often found themselves in three-game matches. After losing the first game in the final, they regrouped and fought back to secure the title. Satwiksairaj noted, “We maintained our composure today. We made few mistakes, which was a positive takeaway. We stuck to our game plan, which we had prepared before coming here. I think that approach worked, and we are truly happy to break that bad luck streak. This is our second title in 2026, and we are very pleased.”
Initially, the Indian pair displayed less aggression than usual in the first game. Their coach had to energize them from the sidelines to mount a comeback in the second and third games. “I don’t think we lacked aggression in the first game, but we weren’t executing the right strokes. We were playing in a way that benefited them. When we play to their advantage, they attack fiercely. To compete against them, you can’t afford to give them any space because they are very quick and aggressive. That’s why we aimed to be aggressive but calculated in the second game,” Chirag added.
In the decisive third game, Satwiksairaj showcased his serving skills, winning five consecutive points to clinch the match. He remarked, “It’s rare for me to score five points on my serve. Usually, Chirag leads the game. However, I felt confident after our quarterfinal match against Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, where the score was tied at 17-17. I had been practicing my serve extensively during my injury, which I believe helped me in the last two tournaments.”
The confidence gained from their China Masters victory will accompany both players as they head into the Asian Games, starting September 19. Chirag emphasized, “Winning a title before heading to the Asian Games is definitely a huge boost, confirming that we are on the right track. We plan to return home, train hard for the next ten days, and compete at full strength in the Asian Games.”
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