The Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured a bronze medal at the Badminton World Championships 2025, marking their second World Championship bronze since 2022. This achievement also signifies India's 15th medal in the Badminton World Championships, continuing a streak of winning at least one medal in every edition since 2011.
Satwik and Chirag's journey to the semifinals saw them overcome the Malaysian duo of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, avenging their defeat at the Paris Olympics. This victory was particularly sweet, as the Malaysians had previously dashed Satwik and Chirag's hopes of winning their maiden Olympic medal in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics.
However, their campaign ended in the semifinals with a loss to the Chinese pair of Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi. The match was a hard-fought battle, stretching to three games with scores of 19-21, 21-18, and 12-21. Despite winning the second game, Satwik and Chirag couldn't maintain the momentum, especially after the Chinese pair secured nine straight points in the third game, creating a lead that proved insurmountable.
Reflecting on the match, it was noted that Satwik and Chirag faced coordination issues and struggled with serves, often playing catch-up. Unforced errors also contributed to their downfall. The Chinese pair's defense, particularly on the back side of the court, proved difficult to penetrate, preventing Satwik and Chirag from scoring quick points.
Despite the disappointing end, Satwik and Chirag's bronze medal is a significant achievement. Their journey to the top has involved adapting their game and developing service variations. After facing setbacks due to injuries and illness, the duo has shown resilience, achieving impressive performances, including reaching the finals of the Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750 tournaments. They are currently ranked No. 7 in the world and have nine BWF World Tour titles. Most recently, they finished as runners-up at the China Masters 2025, losing to Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae.
