India’s star doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty powered into the second round of the Macau Open 2025 with a commanding win over Malaysia’s Low Hang Yee and Ng Eng Cheong on Tuesday.
Fresh from re-entering the top 10 in the world rankings, Satwik and Chirag looked sharp from the outset, sealing a straight-games victory 21-13, 21-15 in just 36 minutes. The Indians raced to a 6-1 lead in the opening game, and although the Malaysians briefly cut the deficit to 10-9, Satwik and Chirag quickly reasserted their dominance, wrapping up the first game 21-13.
The second game followed a similar pattern, with the Indian duo dictating the pace and never allowing their opponents to settle. They will next face Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi in the round of 16.
The result further consolidates Satwik and Chirag’s resurgence after an injury-disrupted 2024 season. Their aggressive play and quick transitions at the net once again underlined why they remain among the world’s best men’s doubles pairs.
However, it was a disappointing day for fellow Indians Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand in the women’s doubles. The top seeds fell in a hard-fought three-game battle against Lin Xiao Min and Peng Yu Wei of Chinese Taipei.
Treesa and Gayatri started brightly, taking the opening game 21-16. The second game proved to be a nail-biter, with both pairs trading points before the Taipei duo edged it 22-20 to level the match. The decider saw Lin and Peng seize full momentum, outpacing the Indian pair 21-15 to complete the turnaround in just over an hour.
The defeat will be a setback for Treesa and Gayatri, who have been eyeing consistency at the top level. Despite their strong start, they were undone by the Taipei duo’s resilience and ability to close out tight rallies under pressure.
For Indian fans, the day belonged to Satwik and Chirag, whose emphatic win keeps hopes alive of a deep run in Macau. Their upcoming clash with Kumagai and Nishi promises to be another test as they aim to build momentum ahead of bigger challenges on the circuit.
