Indian Doubles Stars Shine at BWF World Tour Finals 2025
Victory for India's Top Doubles Team
Hangzhou [China], December 18: India's premier men's doubles duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, celebrated their second consecutive victory at the BWF World Tour Finals 2025. They triumphed over Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in an exhilarating three-game match held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium on Thursday.
Ranked third globally, the Indian pair displayed remarkable skill and poise, winning the match with scores of 21-11, 16-21, and 21-11. This victory solidifies their position in Group B, putting them in a favorable spot for a semi-final qualification. With two wins under their belt, Satwik and Chirag lead the group and have established a significant points advantage, as reported by the Badminton Association of India (BAI).
The duo dominated the first game, never falling behind and securing it 21-11. However, the Indonesian team, who had previously won the China Open Super 1000 earlier this year, fought back in the second game. Despite the Indians recovering from an early 8-3 deficit to equalize at 12-12, they ultimately lost the game 16-21.
In the decisive game, Satwik and Chirag responded strongly. After a few initial exchanges, they quickly pulled ahead, establishing leads of up to eight points before sealing the match at 21-11.
Next, they will compete against the second-seeded Malaysian pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, on Friday in their final group match.
Previously, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty kicked off their BWF World Tour Finals 2025 journey with a solid win against China's Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, overcoming them with scores of 12-21, 22-20, and 21-14 in a challenging Group B.
Currently, Satwik and Chirag hold the third position in men's doubles and have earned a bronze medal at the BWF World Championships, marking their second medal at this event. They also achieved two runner-up finishes at the Hong Kong Open and the China Masters this year. The duo has been consistent, reaching the semifinals in multiple tournaments including the Malaysia Open, India Open, Singapore Open, China Open, and Denmark Open in 2025. This marks their second appearance at the BWF World Tour Finals, following their debut in 2021.