Satwik and Chirag are delighted after ending their title drought.
| Photo Credit: Badminton Photo
For nearly two years, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were forced to watch title opportunities slip away amid injuries, setbacks and frustrating near-misses. On Sunday, however, India’s premier men’s doubles pair ended the drought by becoming the first Indian duo to win the Singapore Open after defeating Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri 18-21, 21-17, 21-16 in the Super 750 final.
The triumph marked Satwik and Chirag’s first BWF World Tour title since 2024 and capped a week in which they also snapped the 34-match winning streak of World champions Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae in the semifinals.
“I think the last week has been really, really good. It’s been almost two years since we had won a title, so that makes it even more special. Especially in a tournament like the Singapore Open, where historically we haven’t done as well,” Chirag said during a virtual press conference on Monday.
The title run was built on resilience, with four of the Indians’ five matches going the distance. They were tested again in the final as the Indonesians edged a tight opening game after drawing level at 18. But Satwik and Chirag stayed composed.
“We’ll accept if we lose, but we’ll give everything and lose. The attitude was pretty calm. Even when we were down, we wanted to fight back,” Satwik said.
The second game saw the Indians increase the pace of the exchanges and force errors from their opponents to force the decider.
“With (the) Indonesians and Malaysians it’s mainly about the first four shots. If they keep us under pressure, they are on top. So the focus was on the front court and not worrying too much about the back court,” Satwik said. Chirag mentioned that the recent tactical discussions with coach Tan Kim Her and consultant Mathias Boe had proved valuable during the tournament.
With confidence growing, the Indians entered the third game determined to seize control. Satwik’s attacking game began to click while Chirag dominated the forecourt, helping the pair build a crucial cushion. Although Fajar and Fikri briefly narrowed the gap, the Indians remained in command and closed out the contest in 72 minutes.
The relief was evident in the celebrations. Chirag broke into a dance, the pair recreated their iconic shoulder-lift celebration, and finished with a cradle-rocking gesture dedicated to Satwik’s newborn niece.
“We knew for a fact that eventually the win would come. We had that belief and it was just a matter of time,” Chirag said.
With a long-awaited title finally secured, Satwik and Chirag head into this week’s Indonesia Open with renewed confidence and momentum ahead of the World Championships and Asian Games later this year.
Published – June 01, 2026 08:18 pm IST
