Hong Kong Open 2025: Satwik-Chirag finish as runners-up in first final of the season

This was the Indian pair’s first podium finish on tour in over a year.

India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty settled for a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open 2025 after going down in the final of the BWF Super 500 event. This was the Indian duo’s first podium finish on tour in nearly a year.

Facing the world No. 7 Chinese combo of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in their first final of the season, Satwik-Chirag fell to a 21-19, 14-21, 17-21 defeat in an hour and two minutes.

While the result didn’t go their way, the world No. 9 Indian duo started strongly, sealing the opening game 21-19, raising hopes of ending their title drought.

However, the momentum quickly shifted. Liang and Wang bounced back in the second game with smart play to level the match 21-14.

In the decider, despite a spirited fight from the Indians, the Chinese pair proved superior, clinching the match 19-21, 21-14, 21-17.

The wait for a BWF World Tour title extends for the two-time World Championships bronze medallists, who last lifted a trophy at the Thailand Open in May 2024.

The Indian men’s doubles pair had brought a plenty of cheer earlier in the week by finally breaking their semi-final jinx. Satwik-Chirag defeated Chinese Taipei’s Lin Bing-Wei and Chen Cheng-Kuan 21-17, 21-15 in the semis to reach their first final after six semi-final heartbreaks.

Also Read: Hong Kong Open: Full list of title winners

India’s focus now turns to their top men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen, who has stormed into his first final in over two years.

The 23-year-old will take on world No. 4 Li Shifeng of China later in the day, keeping alive India’s hopes of silverware at the Hong Kong Open 2025.

Sen’s run to the final has been brilliant but it came at a heavy cost. In the round of 16, he had to end the journey of fellow Indian HS Prannoy.

Lakshya then brushed aside another Indian compatriot, Ayush Shetty, in the quarter-finals before defeating Chinese Taipei veteran Chou Tien-Chen in the semifinals to seal his spot in the summit clash.

Elsewhere, India endured early exits across other events. The biggest disappointment came from two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who suffered a shock first-round defeat to Denmark’s Line Christophersen.

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