Indian badminton’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty roared back into form at the Thailand Open 2026, defeating Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin 19-21, 22-20, 21-16 in a thrilling semifinal in Bangkok.
The victory marked their first final of 2026 and their third Thailand Open final overall, following title wins in 2019 and 2024.
The match lasted 82 minutes and showcased the duo’s resilience. After dropping the opening game, Satwik and Chirag displayed composure in the second, saving crucial points before edging ahead 22-20. With momentum on their side, they dominated the decider through relentless attack and sharp net play. Chirag sealed the win after a dramatic net cord delayed match point.
The triumph improved their head-to-head record to 8-0 against the Malaysian pair. They now await either Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin or China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in Sunday’s final.
Meanwhile, teenage shuttler Shriyanshi Valishetty continued her dream run at the Baoji China Masters Super 100, defeating reigning Junior World Champion Xu Wen Jing 21-13, 21-17 to reach the women’s singles final. Fresh off her Mexico International Challenge win, Shriyanshi has dropped only one game en route to the summit clash. She will face either China’s Yuan or Thailand’s Nithiittikrai in the final.
