India’s star men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty crashed out of the BWF World Championships after suffering a straight-game defeat to China’s world No. 3 pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the quarter-finals on Friday.
The Indian duo, ranked No. 5 in the world, went down 18-21, 9-21 in just 36 minutes, ending their hopes of securing a third World Championships medal. Satwik and Chirag had previously won bronze at the 2022 and 2025 editions.
The opening game was closely contested, with both pairs level at 4-4, 8-8 and 10-10. India led 15-12 and appeared in control, but a series of errors allowed the Chinese pair to fight back. Liang and Wang levelled at 18-18 before winning three of the next four points to take the game.
The second game proved one-sided. The Chinese pair quickly moved ahead 9-4 and entered the interval with an 11-5 advantage. Their fast interceptions, flat exchanges and precise attacking shots kept the Indians under constant pressure.
Liang was particularly impressive with his anticipation and retrievals, while Wang produced powerful smashes. The Chinese duo eventually secured nine match points and converted the first to complete a convincing victory.
India’s medal hopes at the championships, however, remain alive through Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who have reached the semi-finals.
