Shenzhen, September 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s fourth-seeded men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty produced a strong performance to defeat France’s Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov 21-17, 22-24, 21-9 and advance to the quarter-finals of the China Masters on Thursday.
The Indian duo recovered impressively after surrendering the second game and dominated the decider to secure a convincing victory over the French brothers.
Satwik and Chirag finished with 64 points against the Popov brothers’ 50. The Indians also won nine game points, while the French pair managed two.
The opening game was closely contested in the early stages, but the Indians gradually gained control and held their composure in the closing exchanges to take it 21-17.
The Popov brothers responded strongly in the second game, keeping the pressure on the fourth seeds in a tightly fought contest. France eventually edged the game 24-22 to level the match and force a decider.
With the match tied at one game apiece, Satwik and Chirag raised their intensity. They quickly took command of the third game and built a substantial lead, with the Popovs struggling to match the Indians’ pace and attacking quality.
The Indian pair continued to pile on the pressure and closed out the decider 21-9 to seal their place in the last eight.
Satwik and Chirag had opened their campaign with a straight-game victory over Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Kang Khai Xing in the round of 32. The fourth seeds won 21-11, 21-16 in 40 minutes on Court 1.
The World No. 5 pair had last competed at the BWF World Championships, where their campaign ended in the quarter-finals. The Indian duo, bronze medallists at last year’s edition, lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang 21-18, 21-9 in New Delhi.
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