Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty assured India of a medal at the 2025 BWF World Championships by defeating World No. 2 Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in straight games, advancing to the semifinals and avenging their Olympic quarterfinal loss.
Indiaโs top menโs doubles duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, produced a high-quality performance to defeat Malaysiaโs Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in straight games and seal their place in the semifinals of the BWF World Championships 2025.
At the Adidas Arena, the match ended at 21-15, 21-19, which not only marked a significant win over the second seeds but also guaranteed India a medal at the prestigious event. This will be Satwik and Chiragโs second World Championships medal, their first coming in 2022 when they lost in the semifinals, which was also to Chia and Soh.
Fridayโs quarterfinal clash was more than just a shot at the podium. It was a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics quarterfinal held at the same venue, where the Malaysian pair had ousted the Indians, ending their Olympic dreams. This time, however, Satwik and Chirag flipped the script with a composed and aggressive showing.
Satwik-Chiragโs dominance in quarters – as it happened
The duo took early control of the match, racing to an 11-6 lead in the first game by engaging in long rallies and applying pressure with pinpoint attacking shots. Their relentless pace left the Malaysians struggling to respond, allowing the Indian pair to comfortably close out the opening game.
In the second game, the World No. 3 pair continued to dictate play, forcing Chia and Soh onto the back foot. Despite a late resurgence from the Malaysians, who clawed back to 19-all, Satwik and Chirag held firm. A crucial error from the Malaysians at a tense moment handed the Indians a well-deserved win.
Satwik and Chirag will now face the 11th seeds Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China in the semifinals on Saturday. The two pairs last met at the 2024 Thailand Open, where the Indians secured a straight-game win. With their second World Championships medal already in the bag, the Indian duo will look to go a step further this time and book a place in the final, which will be first for India in menโs doubles at this level.