India’s star men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty finally won the China Masters on Sunday which was their maiden title at the Super 750 event in Shenzhen. The duo produced a gritty
comeback to defeat China’s He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 in a tense 70-minute final. The victory carries special significance as no Indian player had ever won the China Masters since the tournament began in 2005. Satwik and Chirag had reached the final twice before in 2023 and 2025 where they finished as runners-up on both occasions. This time they made it third-time lucky, becoming the first Indians to lift the trophy. The win also marked their 10th career BWF World Tour title and their second of the 2026 season after the Singapore Open.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the Chinese pair started strongly and dominated the opening game. The Indian pair raised their intensity, tightened their defence, and seized control in the second game. In the decider they had to dig deep once more, recovering from early trial and holding their nerve in the closing stages to seal the championship. The result extends Satwik and Chirag’s perfect head-to-head record against He and Ren to 3-0. This result coming just weeks before the Asian Games, where they will defend their gold medal provides a major confidence boost. For Indian badminton, it is another historic moment.
WATCH SATWIK & CHIRAG WINNING THE CHINA MASTERS 2026 TITLE! 🏆🤩
– Second BWF Super 750 Title for duo! 🇮🇳
BEAT CHINA AT HOME IN THE FINAL! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZCEdec0mLR https://t.co/CWOqWu1y7f
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) September 6, 2026
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty Comeback from Behind to win the Final of China Masters
The China Masters Final began poorly for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty as He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu came out firing. They went to a 5-0 lead with sharp net play and powerful smashes. The Indians struggled to find their rhythm and trailed 5-11 at the mid-game interval. The Chinese pair maintained control and won the first game 21-11 in just 18 minutes. The Indian pair were facing another early setback in the second game. They improved their movement, reduced unforced errors, and began dictating rallies. In the second game they played with far greater authority, winning 21-13 to level the match. The shift in momentum was clear after that game.
The deciding game proved the most dramatic. Satwik and Chirag again fell behind early, trailing 0-4 and later 12-15 as they found it tough to adjust to court drift. They fought back point by point, drawing level at 7-7 and then 17-17. From there the Indians produced a strong finishing burst. A crucial smash from Chirag and composed play under pressure saw them move ahead to 18-17 and then 20-17. On their first match point they converted, sealing a 21-17 victory. The comeback highlighted the pair’s mental strength and tactical flexibility. After years of missing out in this tournament they have finally won the title.
‘We Broke the Jinx’: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy on China Masters Victory
After winning the title, the Indian doubles pair of Chirag and Satwik spoke to the Badminton Association of India (BAI). Speaking about their slow start in the opening game, Chirag explained that the problem was not a lack of aggression but their shot selection. The Chinese pair’s pace made it difficult for the Indians to find openings once they settled into their preferred style.
“In the first game, we weren’t lacking (aggression), but were not playing the right strokes,” said Chirag. “We were playing a style which favoured them and when we do that, they come out all guns blazing. You don’t really find any space to play as they are extremely fast and furious.” The win could not have come at a better time for the Indian pair with the Asian Games now just around the corner. Chirag admitted that the title win has given them plenty of confidence heading into the major event. “It feels really special,” said Chirag. “Going into the Asian Games, winning a title definitely gives a huge boost that, yes, what we are working for is in the right direction. We’ll go back home, push ourselves to the limit, train for the next 10 days, and go out all guns blazing at the Asian Games. We want to go out there and have some fun.”
For Satwik, the tournament was also significant given the pair’s struggles with injuries in recent months. He felt their run in China provided the confidence they needed, particularly after keeping their composure in a tense final.“Playing here is always good. We have always played coming back from injury,” Satwik said. “This has been a tournament that gave us a lot of confidence. Today, we held our nerves, didn’t make easy mistakes and had a game plan before coming. We wanted to execute that. I’m really happy we broke the jinx.”
Image Credits: Badminton Photos
