Our Bureau
Shenzen
India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched their maiden China Masters title on Sunday, overcoming China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in a dramatic three-game final at the Shenzhen Arena.
The Indian pair, who had reached the China Masters final twice before without winning the title, rallied from a game down to defeat the Chinese combination 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 in a contest that lasted one hour and 10 minutes. The victory marked a significant breakthrough for the Indian duo at a tournament that had previously proved elusive.
The top-seeded Indians struggled to find their rhythm in the opening game as He and Ren capitalised on their early advantage to take it 21-11. Satwik and Chirag, however, responded strongly in the second game, improving their attacking play and court control to level the contest at one game apiece.
The deciding game remained closely fought, but the Indians held their nerve in the crucial stages to seal a 21-17 victory and complete the comeback. Their resilience was particularly important after a series of near-misses at the tournament in previous editions.
The triumph is also the pair’s 10th BWF World Tour title overall and makes them the first Indian men’s doubles pair to win the China Masters title.
The victory comes at an important stage of their season, with the Asian Games approaching. Satwik and Chirag, who have established themselves among the leading men’s doubles combinations in world badminton, will now carry the confidence of their China breakthrough into their preparations for the continental competition.
For the Indian duo, the China Masters title was more than another trophy, it was the reward for persistence after repeated final disappointments and a statement of their ability to recover under pressure.