Indian Duo Secures Singapore Open Title After Two-Year Hiatus

Historic Win for Indian Men's Doubles

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have successfully ended their two-year title drought by winning the Singapore Open BWF World Tour Super 750 title. They achieved this remarkable feat with a comeback victory against Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Fikri in the men's doubles final on Sunday.

The Indian pair, seeded fourth, showcased their skills after initially losing the first game to the third-seeded Indonesian duo. They ultimately triumphed with scores of 18-21, 21-17, 21-16, completing the match in one hour and 13 minutes. This victory marks a significant milestone as they become the first Indian men's doubles team to win the Singapore Open.

Path to the Title

This victory at the Singapore Open is the third Super 750 title for the Indian duo, who previously won the French Open in both 2022 and 2024, along with the Indonesia Super 1000 title in 2023. Their last title on the BWF World Tour was at the Thailand Open in 2024. Satwik and Chirag have been in excellent form, contributing significantly to India's bronze medal win at the Thomas and Uber Cup in May. They also reached the finals of the Thailand Open earlier this month before clinching the title in Singapore.

Comeback Performance

After defeating world champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae in the semifinals, Satwik and Chirag began the final strong, taking a 5-2 lead. However, their Indonesian rivals quickly caught up and secured the first game.

In the second game, the Indian pair relied on their aggressive play, scoring six consecutive points from a tie at 8-8 to regain control. Despite Alfian and Fikri saving two game points, the Indians pushed through to force a deciding game.

With the momentum on their side, they established an 11-5 lead in the final game. Although the Indonesians narrowed the gap to 11-12, the Indian champions accelerated their performance, earning five match points and converting the second to celebrate their victory.

Emotional Victory

"I feel a bit numb today, as we have finally won a title after two years. We were somewhat anxious before arriving here due to our past performances, but this week has been truly special," expressed Satwik following their victory.