India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, has advanced to the final of the China Masters 2025. The Indian duo defeated the two-time Olympic medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia in a straight-game semi-final clash, winning 21-17, 21-14 in just 41 minutes. This victory marks their second consecutive final appearance on the 2025 BWF World Tour season and a significant win against a pair that has often been their nemesis.
The match at the Shenzhen Arena began with both pairs trading points, but the Malaysians managed to take a narrow 10-7 lead. However, the Indian duo responded by winning three consecutive points to level the score. From that point on, Satwik and Chirag took control. Their tight gameplay at the net and powerful smashes proved too much for the Malaysian pair, who also contributed to the Indian’s success with a number of unforced errors.
Satwik and Chirag carried their momentum into the second game, quickly establishing an 8-2 lead and never looking back. This was only the fifth time in 16 meetings that the Indian pair has defeated Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who had previously knocked them out of the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, the Indian pair has now beaten their Malaysian rivals twice in succession, including a straight-game victory in the quarter-finals of the BWF World Championships last month.
Having already secured their second World Championships bronze medal in Paris and a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open, Satwik and Chirag are in search of their first title this season. The win is stands essential for the pair, having lost a series of semi-finals this year.
In the final, they will face the top-seeded and reigning world champions, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of the Republic of Korea. The South Korean pair advanced to the final after defeating Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in their semi-final match.
