Indian men’s doubles pair Satwik-Chirag (Image: ANI)
India’s top men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty ended their impressive Thailand Open 2026 campaign as runners-up after losing to Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin in the final at Bangkok’s Nimibutr Stadium on Sunday.The Indian duo went down 21-12, 25-23 in a fast-paced 53-minute summit clash, narrowly missing out on their first title of the 2026 season.Satwik and Chirag struggled to settle into rhythm in the opening game as the Indonesian pair dominated proceedings from the start. Leo and Daniel controlled the rallies with aggressive attacking play and raced away to claim the first game comfortably 21-12.However, the Indian pair responded strongly in the second game and produced a spirited comeback. Satwik and Chirag raised their intensity, fought point-for-point and pushed the contest into a tense finish. Showing tremendous resilience, the Indians saved five consecutive championship points to keep themselves alive in the contest before eventually falling short 25-23 in a dramatic ending.Despite the defeat, the tournament marked a significant step forward for Satwik and Chirag, who were appearing in their first final of the 2026 season. It was also their first final appearance since the China Masters in 2025. Earlier in the tournament, the top-seeded Indian duo delivered one of their best performances of the season in the semifinal against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.The thrilling semifinal lasted one hour and 22 minutes, with Satwik and Chirag coming from behind to win 19-21, 22-20, 21-16 and extend their head-to-head record against the Malaysians to 8-2. The semifinal victory showcased the fighting spirit of the Indian pair, especially after they recovered from a difficult first game and saved crucial points under pressure in the second.With PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen already eliminated from the tournament, Satwik and Chirag carried India’s final hopes in Bangkok. The pair had also produced a convincing Round of 16 victory over Malaysia’s Goonting Bryan Jeremy and Haikal Muhammad, winning 21-12, 21-19 to continue their strong run.Meanwhile, India’s singles campaign ended in the quarterfinals. Lakshya Sen suffered defeat against Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, while PV Sindhu lost a close contest against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi.
