Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Satwik-Chirag Exit BWF Worlds After Chinese Pair’s Straight-Game Win
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are a top Indian badminton team.
They played Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang from China in the World Championships quarter-finals.
The Chinese team won in two games, 21-18 and 21-9.
India played closely in the first game but lost several important points near the end.
The Chinese players defended well and quickly changed defence into attack.
They also controlled the serve and the first few shots of rallies.
Satwik said his shoulder felt stiff but did not cause pain during this match.
The loss ended India’s chance to win a medal in this event.
The pair will study the match and prepare for the Asian Games next month.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lost 18-21, 9-21 to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the quarter-finals.
The defeat ended the Indian pair’s bid for a third World Championships medal and marked their second straight quarter-final exit.
The Indians said they could not convert attacking chances and lost the key battles in service and the first four shots.
The Chinese pair defended strongly, controlled the front court and turned defensive rallies into attacks.
Satwik said his long-standing shoulder issue was manageable during the match, and the pair will now focus on next month’s Asian Games.
- Who
- India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty played China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.
- What
- The Indian men’s doubles pair lost its World Championships quarter-final 18-21, 9-21 in straight games.
- When
- Friday; the articles do not provide a specific date.
- Where
- The match was played at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
- Why
- The Indians said they missed attacking opportunities and struggled with service, the first four shots, defence and front-court control.
- Result
- Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang defeated Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty 18-21, 9-21.
- Tournament stage
- World Championships quarter-final
- Match duration
- 36 minutes
- World rankings
- The Indian pair were ranked No. 5, while the Chinese pair were ranked No. 3.
- Key tactical areas
- The players highlighted service, service reception and control of the first four shots.
- Previous result
- Satwik and Chirag arrived as defending bronze medallists and had also reached the semifinals the previous year.
- Injury update
- Satwik said his long-standing shoulder issue felt manageable during the match, though stiffness remained.
- Next event
- The pair plans to prepare for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya next month.
