New Delhi: India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty returned to the winners’ circle in style by capturing the Singapore Open Super 750 men’s doubles title on Sunday, ending a two-year wait for a World Tour crown and creating history in the process.
The Indian duo fought back from a game down to defeat Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammed Shohibul Fikri 18-21, 21-17, 21-16 in a gripping final that lasted one hour and 13 minutes, according to reports.
The contest began with the Indonesians dictating the pace. Alfian and Fikri kept the exchanges quick around the net and prevented Satwik from imposing his powerful attacking game from the back court. Their approach paid off as they edged the opening game.
The momentum shifted in the second game as Chirag’s sharp work at the net helped India gain control of longer rallies. The pair built a valuable lead and maintained their advantage to level the match and force a decider.
With the title on the line, Satwik found his rhythm in the third game. The Indians moved ahead early before Alfian and Fikri reduced the deficit with a series of aggressive attacks. However, Satwik and Chirag responded strongly, combining defensive solidity with attacking precision to regain command.
As Chirag consistently forced lifts from the Indonesian pair, Satwik capitalised with a succession of decisive smashes that helped India pull away during the closing stages of the match.
The victory made Satwik and Chirag the first Indian men’s doubles pair to win the Singapore Open title, adding another landmark achievement to their growing list of accomplishments.
The triumph secured the pair’s ninth career BWF World Tour title and their third Super 750 crown. It also marked their first World Tour title since 2024, ending a lengthy wait for silverware despite several strong performances on the international circuit.
For the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games champions, the Singapore Open victory represents a significant boost as they continue their push among the world’s leading men’s doubles combinations and signals a return to the form that once saw them occupy the world No. 1 ranking.
