Shenzhen

India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty produced a stunning comeback to claim their maiden China Masters Super 750 title, defeating home favourites He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in a hard-fought final on Sunday.

The top-seeded Indian pair overcame a poor start to beat the Chinese duo 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 in a contest that lasted around 70 minutes at the Shenzhen Arena. The victory also made them the first Indian pair to win the China Masters.

For Satwik and Chirag, the triumph was particularly significant after they had twice finished runners-up at the tournament, in 2023 and 2025. They had also reached the semifinals in 2024, making their eventual breakthrough in Shenzhen a long-awaited one.

The final initially appeared to be heading in the direction of the Chinese pair. He and Ren came out aggressively, controlling the pace and putting the Indians under sustained pressure. Satwik and Chirag struggled to settle into their attacking rhythm and surrendered the opening game 11-21.

The Indian duo, however, responded with the composure that has become one of their biggest strengths.

They increased the intensity in the second game, improved their defence and began controlling the length of rallies. Their sharper combinations and aggressive play forced the Chinese pair into errors, allowing the Indians to level the contest with a convincing 21-13 win.

The deciding game turned into a battle of nerves. Neither pair managed to establish a significant advantage as the rallies became faster and more demanding. The score was locked at 17-17 before Satwik and Chirag produced the decisive burst.

An error from He Ji Ting handed the Indians the lead, after which Chirag helped drive another crucial rally. The Indian pair subsequently earned three match points and converted the first opportunity to complete the comeback at 21-17.

The victory was not merely another trophy for the Indian duo. It also represented a psychological breakthrough at a tournament where they had repeatedly come close but failed to finish the job.

Their road to the title had already tested their resilience. In the semifinals, Satwik and Chirag defeated Malaysia’s Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong 21-15, 18-21, 21-11 to reach their third China Masters final in four years.

The China Masters crown is the pair’s second title of the 2026 season, following their Singapore Open Super 750 triumph. They had also finished runners-up at the Thailand Open Super 500 earlier in the year.

The win also takes their tally to 10 BWF World Tour titles, underlining their status as one of the leading men’s doubles combinations in world badminton. Their record against He and Ren now stands at 3-0.

The triumph comes at an important stage of their season. After an early exit at the World Championships in New Delhi, the China Masters victory provides the pair with valuable momentum ahead of the Asian Games.

“Winning here gives us confidence” was the message from the Indian pair after their title triumph, with the upcoming Asian Games now firmly in their sights.

For Satwik and Chirag, however, the Shenzhen victory was about more than preparation for the next tournament. It was about finally overcoming a hurdle that had stood in their way for years.

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They arrived at the China Masters having twice tasted defeat in the final. They left as champions — after recovering from a game down, surviving a tense decider and holding their nerve when the title was within reach.