Odense, Denmark
The Indian men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced an early exit from the ongoing Denmark Open 2025, succumbing to a hard-fought semi-final loss on Saturday.
In a gripping match at the Jyske Bank Arena, the duo battled valiantly but ultimately fell to Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, with scores of 23-21, 18-21, 21-16, after 68 minutes of intense competition.
This defeat marks the sixth time this season that Satwik and Chirag have bowed out in the semi-finals on the BWF World Tour, with previous top-four finishes at the China, Singapore, India, and Malaysia Opens, as well as the BWF World Championships. Despite these setbacks, they did manage to reach the finals of both the Hong Kong Open and China Masters last month, showcasing their competitive spirit.
The Japanese pair, reigning world champions since 2021 and silver medalists in 2019, established a strong footing early, surging to an 11-6 lead in the opening game. Undeterred, the Indians clawed their way back to tie the score at 20-all, but Hoki and Kobayashi maintained their composure to secure the initial game.
In a bid to turn the tide, Satwik and Chirag stormed into the second game, taking a four-point lead midway through. Yet, the Japanese duo, coming off a quarter-final victory against the 2025 World Championships silver medalists Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi, responded with renewed intensity as the game progressed.
As the decisive third game unfolded, both teams displayed remarkable resilience, exchanging rallies with relentless energy. The Indians edged ahead at the break with a narrow lead, but as the play resumed, it was the Japanese pair who regained control, clinching their second victory over the Indian duo in six encounters.
Prior to this match, the only win for Hoki and Kobayashi against Satwik and Chirag had come during the 2019 Hong Kong Open. This latest showdown was their first since the 2023 Korea Open.
The Indian pair last celebrated a title on the BWF World Tour at the Thailand Open in 2024, and their exit marked a premature end to India’s campaign at the Denmark Open.
In addition, Paris 2024 Olympics semi-finalist Lakshya Sen was also eliminated, losing to France’s world No. 7 Alex Lanier in his men’s singles quarter-final match on Friday.
As the dust settles, Ayush Shetty stands as the sole Indian player with a BWF World Tour title this year, thanks to his triumph at the US Open.
