Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign at the Badminton World Championships came to an end in the semifinals after a fight against China’s 11th seeds Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in Paris on Saturday.
The Indians, who were chasing their second Worlds medal after a bronze in 2022, went down 19–21, 21–18, 12–21 in a contest that swung dramatically before ending in disappointment.
The Indian pair started brightly, dictating the early rallies and racing to an 11–5 lead in just five minutes. But Chen and Liu, quick on the counter and sharp at the net, clawed their way back. Exploiting Indian errors at crucial points, the Chinese leveled at 12–12 before edging the opener 21–19 on their third game point after a draining rally.
Chirag responded with aggression in the second game, a thundering smash setting the tone for a 6–3 advantage. While Chen and Liu refused to let go, reducing the gap to 6–7 at the interval, Satwik and Chirag steadied under pressure to clinch the game 21–18 and force a decider.
But in the final game, the Chinese dominated from the very first point. Chen and Liu raced to a stunning 7–0 lead, leaving the Indians rattled. Satwik-Chirag finally got on board after a 34-shot rally but the damage was already done. At the interval, the Indians trailed 3–11, their nerves clearly showing. Chen and Liu closed out the match ruthlessly, sealing a 21–12 win on match point after a Satwik service error.
The Chinese duo of Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi is through to the World Championships final, while the Indians finish with their second bronze medal at the event.