Bangkok, 17 May (H.S.):India’s star men’s doubles badminton pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, narrowly missed out on winning the title at the Thailand Open 2026 Super 500 tournament held in Bangkok. In the final played on Sunday, the Indonesian duo of Daniel Marthin and Leo Carnando defeated the Indian pair in straight games, 21-12, 25-23, to clinch the championship trophy.
The match, played at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, saw the Indonesian pair adopt an aggressive approach right from the beginning. Marthin and Carnando maintained relentless pressure on the Indian duo with their fast-paced and precise gameplay. In the opening game, Satwik and Chirag struggled to find their rhythm on several occasions and paid heavily for a series of unforced errors. Capitalizing fully on these mistakes, the Indonesian pair comfortably secured the first game 21-12.
After losing the opening game, the world No. 4 Indian pair staged a strong comeback in the second game. Satwik and Chirag displayed improved coordination and attacking intent, turning the contest into a thrilling battle. Both pairs fought intensely for every point, with the Indian duo even taking the lead for a brief period. However, at crucial moments, the Indonesian pair maintained their composure. Eventually, Marthin and Carnando edged past the Indians 25-23 in the second game to seal both the match and the title.
The Indian pair had entered the final after defeating Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin in the semifinals by 19-21, 22-20, 21-16. However, disappointment awaited them in the title clash as their wait for another championship continues.
Satwik and Chirag have not won a BWF Tour title in the last two years. Their previous title triumph also came at the Thailand Open Super 500 tournament in 2024.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) praised the efforts of the Indian players despite the defeat. In a post on social media platform X, BAI stated: “Second place in Thailand. It was a tough result for the boys, despite them giving everything on court. Now it is time to focus on the positives and come back even stronger.”
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
