For Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, it was deja vu – another week, another title slipping through their fingers. They could not capitalise on a terrific start and soon found themselves overwhelmed by the relentless intensity of South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
After trailing 7-14 in the opening game, Kim and Seo clawed their way back to level at 15-15 – and from there, the Koreans never really looked back in the men’s doubles final of the China Masters Super 750 in Shenzhen on Sunday.
Satwik and Chirag eventually suffered their second consecutive defeat in the final in as many weeks, going down 21-19, 21-15 in just 45 minutes. The Koreans claimed their sixth BWF World Tour title of the year, and seventh overall, including the World Championships gold.
For Satwik and Chirag, it was a second heartbreak at this very tournament. In 2023, they had lost the title clash to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang. This time, it was the Korean duo – the World No. 1 pair in men’s doubles – who outfoxed the Indians with lightning reflexes, impeccable defence, relentless court coverage, and by capitalising on Indian errors that seemed to stem from a lack of confidence, in stark contrast to their thumping semifinal win over Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.
The defeat also extended Satwik and Chirag’s poor head-to-head record against the Koreans. Earlier in January, at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 season opener, they had been swept aside 21-10, 21-15 by the same pair in the semifinal.
Reflexes and pressure
From the onset of the match on Sunday, left-handed Seo’s sharp reflexes at the net unsettled the Indians. At 19-17, the Koreans inched ahead as Seo and Kim constantly zigzagged their positions, forcing Satwik and Chirag to scramble for answers.
The Indians managed to claw back to level terms, but Seo again found the gap – his clever backhand wrong-footed Satwik, who missed the shuttle. On game point, Seo fired a flat shot that saw Chirag mistime his return, sending it wide. The Koreans took the opener 21-19, once again showcasing the quick exchanges at the net that have so often troubled the Indians.
Brief spark, then collapse
The second game began with the Koreans imposing themselves at the net, pinning Satwik and Chirag to the backcourt. Chirag, under pressure, hurried a kill into the net to hand Seo and Kim a 4-3 lead.
The Indians fought back, stringing together a mini-run. Satwik thundered down a smash that left-handed Seo barely flinched at, while Chirag followed up with quick kills. Riding on this momentum, the Indians surged 8-5 ahead, forcing the Koreans to lift defensively.
But just when it seemed momentum was shifting, Seo’s brilliance turned the tide. His exquisite crosscourt smash, combined with razor-sharp angles in defence, dragged the Koreans back to 9-9. His sheer reflexes blunted the Indian attack – at one point, a diagonal return left Satwik swinging at thin air. At the interval, Seo and Kim led 11-10.
From there, the Koreans tightened their grip. Kim, even after slipping mid-rally, managed an astonishing retrieval that left Satwik frustrated, and he played the shuttle into the net. Soon after, errors compounded – a wayward backhand from Satwik, a misjudged shot from Chirag – and the Koreans stretched their lead to 17-14.
Seo’s artistry sealed the deal: a backcourt drop shot that froze Chirag, followed by his perfect judgment on two long Indian returns. At 20-15, the Koreans held five match points, and Chirag sent another shot long, handing Seo and Kim their seventh title of the year.
The Korean pair roared in celebration, while Satwik and Chirag were submitted to yet another frustrating runner-up finish, extending their dry run to more than a year.
For the Indians, who are gradually clawing their way back to peak form after a dismal 2024 season marred by injuries and inconsistent performances, it was yet another reminder of their standing against the world’s top pair. Seo and Kim, with their all-round game – rock-solid defence, lightning-fast transitions, and razor-sharp attacking precision – remain one of their fiercest nemesis on the circuit.