Satwik-Chirag upset reigning world champions to reach men’s doubles final at the Singapore Open 2026. (Badminton photo)Not fearless, but forged. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were 8-13 down in the first set against the world champions. They won 21-19, 21-18.Defeating world champions and top seeds Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho of Korea, the Indians reached successive finals in the month of May at the Singapore Open Super 750. This was their first win over the Koreans, who came in on a 34-match winning streak, unbeaten across seven tournaments since last autumn.For the tall Indians, constantly facing the headwinds of the flat game and service return troubles, it was a massive release of pressure — not only did they out-skill Seo Seung-jae, a contemporary doubles great, but they came back from trailing positions in both sets.“The way we were playing, even when we were down we backed each other up. We knew they crack at some time if we stick to our plans. Points would eventually come. We had that belief,” Chirag told BWF.The path from 9-13 to 17-17 was the turnaround they had been building toward for a year — a period in which their game has evolved to become more complete than even when they were world No 1. The two Olympic disappointments have better armed them for beating pairings who make them uncomfortable.Their reputation as slam-bang smash machines helped. It meant the creative southpaw Seo Seung-jae was perpetually in two minds, always bracing for the big smash to the back court. While the fast conditions neutralised Korean skills, the Indians played snappy, flat drives, pushing Seo-Kim back and opening up wide spaces to kill. Levelling at 17-all, the gear change from five points down was almost imperceptible. Seo was so wary of the smash that the Indians gleefully pinned him back and took the first lead with front-court kills at 18-17.Satwik remains uncertain in confidence, but in a classic 1-2 move the duo operate almost on autopilot. On the most crucial point of the match — getting to 19-18 without wilting — Satwik soared to smash first, then Chirag leapt like a second giant wave to hit the Koreans. Satwik made amends for a service error that followed with an aggressive cross-net, wholly unexpected by the Koreans who had beaten the Indians twice last year. The opening set was claimed 21-19 after a fast, taut, tense rally in which the Korean defence parried back an Indian attacking flurry until they couldn’t — a Satwik smash finally beating Seo’s usually watertight defence.Story continues below this ad Satwik-Chirag upset reigning world champions to reach men’s doubles final at the Singapore Open 2026 today (Badminton Photo)Still, Seo-Kim are No 1 and on an undefeated streak for a reason. The Indians trailed again in the second, even as Seo was now convinced the Indian attack was an almighty headache. From 0-3, Satwik-Chirag tried the decoy smash — the ultimate moment in men’s doubles — when Chirag jumped as if to hit but Satwik rose like a booming echo right behind him and completed the action. Chirag followed with cheetah-like front-court interceptions, boldly attacking the Korean serve and sowing more doubts. Satwik rattled Kim with high flats at face height, putting the Koreans in an awkward bind.“Set 2 plan was to just keep pushing at the net. I felt like they were not in a comfortable position to defend. They didn’t want to defend. So we got into that game, didn’t leave them, just rushed them,” Satwik told BWF.The real war bugle was blown at 9-9 with Chirag’s iconic cry of ‘Maar’.Even as the Koreans took a slender 11-10 lead, they had been split twice — both Seo and Kim going for the same shuttle, colliding twice. Things went to 11-14, but the Indians were prepared. The attack was earned by keeping Korean playmaker Seo under pressure with hard pushes, depriving him of time to create openings while going on the attack themselves.“If we have to beat them we have to be steady. By far they have the strongest defence on the circuit. Normal rallies we are OK, but when rallies get longer they are quite strong in defence. So we need to be calm and steady,” Chirag said.Story continues below this adSatwik drew cross lifts with his smashes for Chirag to kill. After splitting the Koreans again, Seo was shaken enough to send a rare smash long. With Satwik’s attack near-unretrievable and the Indians assured at the net, Seo erred on a serve. The Koreans blinking was the tactical win.Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More