In a gripping showdown at the China Masters Super 750 final in Shenzhen on Sunday, India’s premier men’s doubles team, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, faced a disappointing defeat. They were overcome by the formidable world No. 1 Korean pair, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, in straight games, marking another heartbreaking loss for the Indian duo.
The Asian Games champions had their sights set on breaking a recent title drought. However, they let a commanding 14-7 lead slip away in the opening game, eventually succumbing to a 19-21, 15-21 loss in a match that lasted 45 minutes.
Satwik and Chirag had entered their second consecutive final in impressive form, having not dropped a single game throughout the week. Their journey included securing a second World Championships bronze and finishing as runners-up at the Hong Kong Open. Yet, the memory of squandering their strong position in the first game will undoubtedly sting.
Their opponents, Kim and Seo, who had reunited this season after individual ventures, were competing in their ninth final of 2025. They arrived with an impressive track record of six titles already this year, highlighted by a World Championships gold in Paris and Super 1000 victories at the All England and Indonesia Open.
The match was anticipated as a clash between the world’s best attack and its best defense, and it certainly delivered moments of intense brilliance. Ultimately, Kim and Seo demonstrated superior composure and technical prowess to clinch the victory.
The Koreans started strong in the first game, quickly building a 3-0 lead. However, the Indians mounted a fierce comeback, unleashing a series of angled smashes to level the score at 6-all. Chirag’s exquisite net play then propelled them to an 11-7 advantage at the interval, which they soon extended to a comfortable 14-8.
Unfortunately, unforced errors began to creep into their game. A failed video challenge further disrupted their momentum, allowing the Koreans to seize control by winning eight of the next nine points, drawing level at 15-all. Despite a fault from Kim’s serve, a clever return kept the score tight at 17-17.
A net error from Chirag handed Korea a 19-17 lead. The Indians fought back as Seo misjudged a shot, bringing the score to 19-all. However, the left-handed Kim secured a game point with a sharp winner, and Chirag’s subsequent wide shot sealed the first game for the Koreans.
After the brief break, the Indians edged ahead 3-2, with Chirag once again showcasing his brilliance at the net, even executing a spectacular between-the-legs shot before missing wide. At 4-4, Satwik mirrored the move with his own between-the-legs return to win a point.
The Indian pair unleashed powerful, angled smashes, attempting to breach the Korean defense and establishing an 8-6 lead. However, they allowed the Koreans to catch up to 9-9. Seo then produced an audacious cross-court defensive return to make it 10-9, followed by a delicate net shot that gave the Koreans a crucial one-point lead at the interval.
Upon resumption, Seo served into the net but quickly recovered to dispatch Satwik’s weak return on the subsequent point. A flat return from Seo, combined with Kim’s incredible ability to keep a rally alive even while on the floor, and Chirag hitting long, extended the Koreans’ lead to 15-11. Seo dominated the next flat exchange, and another miscued shot from Chirag kept the Koreans firmly ahead at 17-14.
A precise drop shot further stretched the Koreans’ lead to 18-15. They then secured five match points after Chirag sent two shots long. The match concluded when Satwik pushed his final return wide, handing the title to the resilient Korean pair.