Indian men’s doubles pair Satwik-Chirag (Image: ANI)
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into their first final of the 2026 season after battling past Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin in a thrilling semifinal at the Thailand Open Super 500 in Bangkok on Saturday.The world No. 4 Indian pair, who entered the tournament as top seeds, produced a remarkable comeback to win 19-21, 22-20, 21-16 in a gripping encounter that lasted one hour and 22 minutes. With the victory, Satwik and Chirag also improved their head-to-head record against the Malaysian duo to 8-2.With PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen already eliminated from the tournament, the Indian men’s doubles pair carried the nation’s hopes in Bangkok — and delivered under immense pressure in front of a packed and energetic crowd.The semifinal began with the Malaysians taking early control as Goh and Izzuddin raced to a 3-1 lead in the opening game. Satwik and Chirag recovered to level the score at 7-7, but a few communication lapses allowed the Malaysian pair to regain momentum. Goh and Izzuddin entered the mid-game interval with a narrow advantage and later stretched their lead to 18-12.Although the Indians mounted a late comeback with four straight points, the Malaysians held their nerve to close out the first game 21-19.The second game turned into a high-intensity battle with both pairs exchanging momentum repeatedly. This time, Satwik and Chirag looked far more composed, ironing out the coordination issues that troubled them earlier. A crucial four-point burst helped the Indians take an 11-9 lead at the interval.After the break, the Malaysian duo fought back strongly and briefly regained control, but Satwik and Chirag responded aggressively to move ahead once again. Even after the Indians earned two game points, Goh and Izzuddin saved both to level the score at 20-20, forcing a tense finish.The closing moments produced one of the most exciting rallies of the tournament, featuring relentless attacking exchanges and brilliant defense from both teams. Satwik eventually sealed the game with a perfectly placed winner that the Malaysians could not reach, handing the Indians a dramatic 22-20 victory.Riding the momentum from the second game, the Indian duo dominated the decider with aggressive play and better control at the net. They stayed ahead for most of the final game before comfortably wrapping up a memorable 21-16 win to book their place in Sunday’s final.Satwik and Chirag will now face either Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin or China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in the title clash.
