India’s top men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty delivered a commanding performance to reach the semifinals of the Thailand Open, a BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament, in Bangkok on Friday.
The Indian duo, seeded first in the tournament, defeated Japan’s Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami 21-12, 21-13 in straight games to book their place in the final four. The victory also marked Satwik and Chirag’s first semifinal appearance in a BWF World Tour event in 2026.
Playing against the Japanese pair for the first time, the world No. 4 Indians took complete control from the very beginning. Satwik and Chirag raced to a stunning 10-0 lead in the opening game, leaving Nomura and Shimogami struggling to find rhythm early in the contest.
Although the Japanese sixth seeds improved after the mid-game interval and narrowed the gap to 10-14, the Indian pair quickly regained momentum and comfortably closed out the opener.
The second game proved more competitive in the early stages, with Nomura and Shimogami staying within touching distance during the first half. However, Satwik and Chirag maintained their composure and superior attacking game to gradually pull away once again.
Using their trademark combination of powerful smashes, quick net exchanges and solid court coverage, the Indians sealed the match in just 41 minutes to continue their impressive campaign in Bangkok.
Satwik and Chirag are now chasing their first title since winning the Thailand Open in 2024. The pair has been looking to regain consistency on the international circuit this season, and Friday’s dominant display highlighted their growing confidence heading into the business end of the tournament.
The Indian duo will next face either Malaysia’s third-seeded combination of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin or Scotland’s brothers Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley in the semifinals.
India’s challenge at the Thailand Open will continue later in the day with two major singles quarterfinal matches. Two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu is set to face top-seeded Japanese star Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s singles quarterfinals, while Lakshya Sen will take on reigning champion and local favourite Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men’s singles last-eight clash.
With Satwik and Chirag already securing a semifinal berth, Indian badminton fans will hope the country’s singles stars can also progress deeper into the tournament.
