India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty produced a thrilling comeback to storm into the World Championships quarterfinals, defeating Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Yap Roy King 21‑23, 21‑19, 21‑17 in an 82‑minute battle.
Satwik, playing with a taped shoulder, showed resilience under pressure, delivering crucial defensive plays and smart rallies. Chirag’s powerful smashes and full‑length dives added to the drama as the duo fought back after losing the opening game.
The victory marked their fifth win in five meetings against the Malaysian pair and sets up a quarterfinal clash against third‑seeded Chinese duo Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang.
Meanwhile, India’s women’s doubles team Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals with a commanding 21‑16, 21‑12 win over Japan’s seventh seeds Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi. “The crowd carried us through the tough moments,” Treesa said, while Gayatri called the win a “huge confidence boost.”
In mixed doubles, however, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto bowed out after a 16‑21, 5‑21 defeat to China’s sixth seeds Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui.
The day’s results highlight both the grit and promise of Indian badminton, with Satwik‑Chirag’s resilience and Treesa‑Gayatri’s dominance keeping hopes alive for deep runs in the tournament.
