India’s star men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty ended a two-year title drought in emphatic fashion by clinching the Singapore Open Super 750 crown on Sunday, becoming the first Indian doubles combination to win the prestigious tournament.
The fourth-seeded Indian duo staged a spirited comeback to defeat Indonesia’s third-seeded pair of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Fikri 18-21, 21-17, 21-16 in a gripping men’s doubles final that lasted one hour and 13 minutes.
The victory marked Satwik and Chirag’s first BWF World Tour title since the Thailand Open in 2024 and their third Super 750 title overall, having previously won the French Open in 2022 and 2024. The Indian pair also captured the Indonesia Open Super 1000 title in 2023.
Coming into the final on the back of strong performances in recent weeks, the Indians had played a key role in India’s bronze-medal finish at the Thomas Cup and followed it up with a runner-up finish at the Thailand Open before their title-winning campaign in Singapore.
Fresh from ending world champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae’s 34-match unbeaten run in the semifinals, Satwik and Chirag started brightly in the final, opening up a 5-2 lead in the first game. However, the Indonesian pair fought back strongly to edge ahead and claim the opener.
The momentum shifted in the second game when the Indians unleashed an aggressive attacking display. Locked at 8-8, Satwik and Chirag won six consecutive points to seize control and force a deciding game despite a late challenge from Alfian and Fikri.
The Indian pair carried that momentum into the decider, racing to an 11-5 advantage at the mid-game interval. Although the Indonesians narrowed the gap to 12-11, Satwik and Chirag responded with a strong finish, earning five match points before sealing victory on their second opportunity.
