Satwik-Chirag Exit from China Open Adds to Semi-Final Woes

India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty endured a semi-final defeat at the BWF Super 1000 China Open 2025, succumbing to a 21-13, 21-17 loss against Malaysia's Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Chia—two-time Olympic bronze medallists. This loss, as reported by Olympics.com, brings an end to India's run in the tournament.

The Indian duo, ranked 12th in men's doubles, faced a formidable challenge from the world number two pair. In their attempt to counter the Malaysian attack, Satwik and Chirag fell short, marking their 11th defeat in 14 encounters with Chia and Soh. The pair had also been defeated by the Malaysians in the Paris 2024 Olympics quarterfinals, highlighting a persistent obstacle.

This semi-final exit at the China Open is the fourth such occurrence for Rankireddy and Shetty in 2025, following similar outcomes in the India, Singapore, and Malaysia Opens. Prior to their semi-final match, the Indian pair secured a commanding victory over Malaysia's Yew Sin Ong and Ee Yi Teo, demonstrating potential with a straight-games win at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.

(With inputs from agencies.)