India’s former World No.1 badminton pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, kicked off their Thailand Open 2026 campaign with a hard-fought victory at the BWF World Tour in Bangkok. The duo, ranked fourth globally, defeated Indonesia’s unseeded pair in a challenging match to advance to the next round. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, aiming for their third Thailand Open title, displayed a strong performance, clinching the win in an hour and four minutes.
Trailing initially in the Round of 32, the Indian pair staged a remarkable comeback by scoring seven consecutive points to secure the first game. Despite a tough fight from their opponents in the second game, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty managed to push the match into a decider, which they ultimately won. The duo will now face Malaysia’s Goonting Bryan, Jeremy, and Haikal Muhammad in the Round of 16.
In contrast, India’s MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan faced disappointment as they were eliminated in the first round of the men’s doubles event. The women’s doubles pair, Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda, also suffered a defeat in their opening match. The Indian contingent at the tournament includes a total of 27 members competing in various categories, with several players set to take on challenging opponents in the upcoming rounds.
