Satwik–Chirag Battle Through Thriller To Enter Thailand Open Second Round

Reigning Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a winning start to their campaign at the Thailand Open 2026 badminton tournament , surviving a stern challenge from Indonesia’s Putra Erwiansyah and Bagas Maulana at the Nimibutr Stadium on Tuesday.

The world No. 4 and top-seeded Indian pair registered a hard-fought 21-19, 23-21, 21-10 victory to advance into the second round of the BWF Super 500 event , keeping their pursuit of a third Thailand Open title alive.

The Indians endured a difficult start in the opening game, trailing 16-11 before producing a strong recovery with seven consecutive points , turning the set around and gaining early control of the match.

The second game saw a shift in momentum as the Indonesian duo fought back from 11-9 down , pushing the set into a tense finish. They eventually edged the extended game, levelling the contest and forcing a decider.

However, Satwik and Chirag responded emphatically in the third game, dominating from the outset and closing out the match comfortably in one hour and four minutes , showcasing their experience under pressure.

The pair has a strong history at the tournament, having previously lifted the Thailand Open title in 2019 and 2024 , and will now look to continue their push for another crown.

Elsewhere, India’s campaign saw mixed fortunes across categories. In men’s singles qualifying, Manav Choudhary put up a spirited performance but went down narrowly 21-19, 21-18 to Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia , in a closely contested encounter.

In women’s singles qualifiers, Anushka Shahapurkar exited after a 21-5, 21-7 defeat to Thailand’s Yataweemin Ketklieng. The mixed doubles pair of Mohit Jaglan and Lakshita Jaglan also bowed out following a 21-11, 21-18 loss to Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Fu-Cheng and Sung Yu-Hsuan.

India has fielded a 27-member contingent at the prestigious BWF Super 500 tournament in Bangkok , with several players yet to begin their main draw campaigns.

Meanwhile, India’s MR Arjun/Hariharan Amsakarunan in men’s doubles and the women’s duo of Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda are scheduled to open their main draw matches later in the day.