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Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a winning start to their Thailand Open 2026 campaign after battling past the Indonesian duo in a thrilling opening-round clash at the Nimibutr Stadium on Tuesday.
The reigning Asian Games champions were pushed hard by Indonesia’s unranked pair Putra Erwiansyah and Bagas Maulana before eventually sealing the contest 21-19, 23-21, 21-10 to progress further in the prestigious BWF Super 500 tournament.
The Indian pair, who entered the competition as top seeds, once again showcased their fighting spirit under pressure.
Satwik-Chirag recover from slow start to seal victory
The opening game saw the Indian duo struggle initially as the Indonesian pair raced to a 16-11 lead and looked in complete control.
However, Satwik and Chirag responded brilliantly by winning seven consecutive points to turn the momentum in their favour before narrowly clinching the first game 21-19.
The second game proved even more intense as the momentum shifted multiple times during the contest. Although the Indian pair held a slight advantage midway through the game, the Indonesians fought back strongly and forced a tense finish.
Despite the pressure, Satwik and Chirag managed to edge the second game 23-21 to take complete control of the match.
Indian duo dominate decider to continue Thailand Open charge
After two closely-fought games, the Indian pair completely dominated the decider and left no room for another comeback.
Satwik-Chirag produced an aggressive display in the final game and comfortably wrapped up the contest 21-10 in just over an hour.
The Indian badminton stars are now aiming to capture their third Thailand Open title after previously winning the tournament in 2019 and 2024.
Currently ranked fourth in the world rankings, Satwik and Chirag remain among India’s strongest medal hopes on the international badminton circuit and will look to continue their momentum deeper into the tournament.
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