Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their good run at the China Masters 2026, winning three games over Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the quarterfinal.
They were able to beat the Danish duo 21-13, 16-21, 21-18 in the quarterfinal with determination and it was a test of their nerves and how they could play under pressure.
Satwik and Chirag were so confident in their chances and pressured their opponents very early on. The Indian pair displayed their attacking capabilities and excellent coordination at the net to win the first game.
But their aggressive approach did pay off, as they won the first game 21-13. The victory in the opening game gave the Indians a decent start and also meant that they were almost certain to win the game in straightforward fashion.
But Astrup and Rasmussen were not ready to surrender easily. The experienced Danish pair responded well in the second game and improved on their consistency and found ways to challenge the Indian combination.
The momentum shifted as the Danish duo gradually took control. Satwik and Chirag were unable to replicate the dominance they had shown in the opening game, while Astrup and Rasmussen capitalized on their opportunities.
The Danish pair won the second game 21-16 and the match went to a third game and a tense battle in the final between the two pairs.
With a place in the last four at stake, both pairs got into it in the final game. The fight was very close and neither side was willing to give up easy points.
But Satwik and Chirag showed the experience of their experience in the crucial moments. The Indian stars remained composed under pressure and stood firm when the game got to the wire.
And the ability to remain focused was key as they finally went on to win the third game 21-18 and take a hard-fought victory to the China Masters 2026 semifinals.
It is another important victory for one of India’s most successful men’s doubles partnerships. Satwik and Chirag have consistently proved that they can play at the highest level of international badminton and have been able to produce good results in big tournaments.
This victory also continued their remarkable record at the China Masters. The Indian duo have now reached the semifinals in every edition of the tournament since 2019, highlighting their consistency at the prestigious event.
Satwik and Chirag have also come so close to winning it. They finished runners-up in the 2023 and 2025 editions of the tournament and will now hope to go a step further in 2026.
The victory over Astrup and Rasmussen was also their second victory over the Danish pair at the China Masters. Satwik and Chirag had previously defeated the same opponents in the quarterfinals of the tournament in 2024.
Their familiarity with Astrup and Rasmussen might have helped the Indian pair cope with the pressure of another important meeting. But the Danish duo again proved to be difficult opponents, making Satwik and Chirag have to work hard for the semifinal spot.
The victory for Indian badminton fans is another bright spot for the team. Satwik and Chirag are one of India’s biggest hopes in international doubles badminton and their performance in big events only solidifies their position as one of the world’s best pairs.
Satwik/Chirag STORM INTO SEMIS of China Masters (Super 750) pic.twitter.com/gCXkzMkhYe
— Three Courts (@threecourts) September 4, 2026
In the meantime, the China Masters 2026 campaign of Indian men's singles player Kidambi Srikanth ended. The experienced shuttler suffered a straight-games defeat against Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong China in his quarterfinal match.
Srikanth lost 16-21, 16-21 as Lee performed well to earn a place in the next round. Even so, it was a competitive performance on the part of the Indian player in the Super 750 tournament.
The contrasting results meant Satwik and Chirag remained India's biggest representatives in the semifinal stage while Srikanth's campaign ended after the last-eight match.
The China Masters is one of the most important events on the international badminton calendar and reaching the semifinals provides Satwik and Chirag with another chance to compete for a major title.
The Indian pair will now be looking to carry their momentum into the semifinal having reached the last four for the fifth consecutive edition. Their ability to recover after losing the second game against Astrup and Rasmussen will give them confidence ahead of their next challenge.
The three-game victory also represented one of the pair’s greatest strengths: their calm in high-pressure situations. Satwik and Chirag regrouped and delivered when it mattered most.
As the tournament comes to an end, the Indian players will want to improve on their runner-up performances to make another step towards the China Masters title.
China Masters 2026 Results
Men's Doubles, quarterfinal: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (India) beat Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Denmark) 21-13, 16-21, 21-18.
Men's Singles, Quarterfinal: Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hong Kong China) beat Kidambi Srikanth (India) 21-16, 21-16.
